Dining with Divinity
by SoulReaperCrewe
Summary: Even the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus needed a day off. Sometime's they needed time away from the constant bickering and never-ending controversies of their family. On one such day, Wisdom and Moon found themselves discovering a hidden gem within the city that never slept, and meeting a familiar blonde knucklehead with a penchant for the colour orange.
1. Part l

**Dining with Divinity is an idea I had a while back, though I only finished it the other day after seeing the success of Fever. Dining with Divinity was inspired by a RWBY story called Service With A Smile by Coeur Al'Aran. I highly recommend it if you're a RWBY fan. **

**For now, this is a one-shot, however, if it's received well and readers would like to see more, I can add some more chapters in the future. This is a concept that could be a lot of fun to play with. **

* * *

** Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity**

"I'm glad we did this. It's been so long since it was just the two of us." Athena said, a content smile on her face as she walked the streets of Manhatten. Being one of the busiest out of her family, she took the time to enjoy the rare days she had off, where she could decompress and let the responsibilities of godhood slip away from her shoulders. Dressed in regular clothes like the mortal's her family ruled over, she tried not to stand out as she walked the stone streets of New York.

To her right, her sister Artemis walked beside her. The daughter's of Zeus took solace in each other's company, the similarities between them helping to form the bridge between their close sisterly relationship in their early days of existence. Out of all the Gods and Goddesses on Olympus, Athena felt her most comfortable when she was with her younger sister. There was no game with Artemis, and no need to keep one eye over her shoulder. The bonds of sisterhood were strong between them, and Athena knew she could rely on Artemis to have her back.

"I agree. Though I'm not usually one for the concrete jungle of New York, I'm enjoying our quality time together. It's been months since it was only us." Artemis replied. Like her sister she was dressed in casual mortal clothes, giving up her usual silver parka and camouflage pants. Her lieutenant, Zoe, could handle looking after the Hunt for an afternoon and had her utmost trust to keep the girls in line. "I would give anything to stay away from Olympus right now."

"Agreed. Hera is on the warpath again, and I have no desire to be in her way." Athena replied. Her last memory of the Queen was watching the beautiful woman storming towards Zeus's temple, the earth cracking beneath her sandals and her eyes radiating godly power.

She didn't need to be the Goddess of Wisdom to understand what was happening.

Whenever Hera found out Zeus had cheated on her again all of Olympus fled from the incoming warzone. Nothing good came from an argument between the King and Queen, and no God or Goddess had any desire to get wrapped up in the quarrel. Even Hestia would slip away and make herself scarce.

Despite their feelings on the matter, the Olympian daughters of Zeus couldn't fault Hera for her outbursts and shouting matches with her husband. Hera's temper was legendary.

"People wonder why we remain virgins and refuse to take husbands. Case and point," Artemis joked, pointing up to the sky, and making her sister laugh. Seeing Zeus's volatile marriage to Hera would turn most people off of the concept of marriage. When one half of the married couple was not as committed as the other, then it made said marriage redundant in their eyes.

From what they could gather by the volatile argument Zeus and Hera got into on the Winter Solstice, Zeus had fathered a little girl somewhere in California three years ago, and the Mother had brought her to Manhattan. Her name was Thalia, named after one of the muses, and was the first child born to their Father since before World War Two. Their Father and their Uncles had vowed to never sire another demigod. It was their effort to avoid the next great prophecy from coming to fruition. No one expected the vow to last, and unsurprisingly, Zeus was the first one to give in to his lust. The King of the Gods had no luck when it came to keeping it in his pants, and his willpower towards beautiful women was weak. It seemed to be a trait that ran in their immortal family. They weren't sure what happened to the pair, but they were turned away at the door of the Empire State Building by the guard.

The chill of the December month nipped at their skin, though the feeling didn't bother the pair of Goddesses as it did to mortals. They'd walked the streets for a couple of hours, conversing like they would with complete comfortability with each other. It was a couple of days after the Winter Solstice, and the mortal holiday Christmas had been days earlier. The streets were bustling with people, filled with mortals taking advantage of the post-Christmas deals. Mortals were very focused on having the latest product of just about anything and everything in today's era. They wondered if Aphrodite had something to do with that. They wouldn't put it past the Goddess of Love.

Speaking of the Goddess of Love, the daughters of Zeus ensured they weren't followed by the daughter of Ouranos, spreading their essence throughout the world, making it harder for anyone to locate them. Aphrodite had a habit of showing up in the middle of their sisterly days out, taking over completely and forcing them to go to the places she wanted to go and do the things she wanted to do. While Athena could tolerate being around Aphrodite, the day would usually end up with Artemis and Aphrodite getting in an argument. It would always start with Aphrodite throwing an off-handed comment her way, and Artemis taking it as an insult. On more than one occasion, Athena had to physically restrain the Goddess of the Moon, and call upon Hestia to take Aphrodite back to Olympus before the two Goddesses went at it.

In terms of fighting capabilities, Artemis was the superior fighter in every way and was one of Olympus's best fighters. However, Aphrodite could be deceptively cunning, and being the youngest daughter of Ouranos, she boasted greater raw power than both of them. A battle between Love and the Moon could only result in utter chaos on a global scale.

"I'm feeling hungry. We could see if it's safe to return to Olympus? I bet we could convince Aunt Hestia to whip us up something?" Artemis asked, a gleam in her eye. No one loved their aunts cooking more than Artemis.

Athena thought about it, "I could go for something, but let's stay in the city for now. I have no desire to run into Hera, or Father. We'll be there for hours if they try to talk about their problems with us."

"Agreed. Do you have anywhere in mind?"

"Not particularly. Perhaps we could-" Athena started, but stopped when something caught her eye. "What's that?"

"Hmm?" Artemis hummed, turning in the direction Athena was looking in. They were somewhere in the West Village, and her sister's attention was solely on the small building that stood on the corner of 90th Bedford street. It looked like any other building in the West Village, but the front of the restaurant on the ground floor stood out next to the grey coloured stone. In particular, the front of the building was made mostly out of glass but was met by a bright orange frame and door that stood in the centre of the building. An open sign hung behind the glass door and across the frame, sat the name of the establishment, 'The Fox's Den.'

"The Fox's Den? I've never heard of such a place."

"Neither have I, and I know every building and store in New York like the back of my hand. It must be new." Athena said back, her curiosity peaking, "Shall we?"

Artemis made a motion with her hand, "Lead the way, sister."

Lead she did, with the two Goddesses making their way towards the Fox's Den, interest peaking their thoughts. Well, for Athena at least. Artemis, on the other hand, was just hungry. She felt like she could eat course after course right now.

A bell went off when they walked through the door, a shroud of warmth blanketing over them and making the sisters hum in content. It was well-lit and open and appeared bigger then either anticipated. Along the wall on the right were a couple of booths, while more than a dozen roundtables with comfy looking chairs scattered across the room and next to the windows. A counter stood at the side with a swinging door leading into another room behind it, with a glass cabinet sat next to it. Inside, Artemis spied cakes and other delicacies of all shapes lined up neatly in multiple rows.

The smell of rich and freshly made pastries wafted through the room, accompanied by a mix of coffee and chocolate. The delightful aroma made both women shiver in delight, reminding them of Aunt Hestia's treats back on Olympus. They quickly realised it was more of a cafe diner than a restaurant, but neither looked like they minded. "Will this do?" Athena asked, and tried not to laugh when she found her sister staring into the glass cabinet, her face pressing against the glass. Despite her reputation, Artemis was a child goddess at heart.

"It all looks amazing," Artemis whispered, admiring the delicate frosting that coated the carrot cake. Athena leaned down next to her and had to admit they all look amazing. Sometimes, it amazed her at the handiwork of mortals. While she wasn't known for possessing as strong of a sweet tooth as Artemis, she liked to treat herself every now and again with something sweet.

"Thank you for the compliment."

Athena's eyes trailed away from the sweet treats and found an amused young man looking back at her from over the counter. His chin rested in his palm, and a big grin sat on his face. Most would never dare to lean so close to her, much less Artemis, but it wasn't like he knew who they were. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Artemis tense up, and her facial expression turned colder than before. Her silver eyes bore into the man's blue ones with quick intensity, as if silently telling him not to come any closer. Her silver eyes gently glowed in warning, though only enough for Athena to notice.

To the man's credit, he didn't look affected. He looked more amused if anything by Artemis and reached behind the counter and pulled out two menus. "Here, these are for you both. Take your pick where you would like to sit, and I'll be with you shortly." He straightened up, getting rid of the grin and giving the Goddesses a polite smile in return.

"Thank you," Athena politely replied, and led Artemis away by the wrist to a nearby table by the window, whispering, "Stop glaring."

Artemis shook her head, "Sorry. He surprised me, that's all. I didn't realise someone was behind the counter."

"Well, you were close to drooling over the carrot cake he had in there. I can't blame you," Athena teased, silently laughing as Artemis's cheeks had a tinge of gold wash over them in embarrassment.

"Not a word," Artemis replied, giving her sister a pointed look before both opened up their menu's. The first thing that caught their attention was the variety. There was a lot to choose from, far more than other cafe diners they visited. Some of the choices were unique to witness for this type of establishment. Looking around, the room was half full, and Athena gazed across the tables to see what people were eating. Most were drinking coffee, which didn't surprise her, but she spied a couple of meals. In the corner, she saw a gentleman eating eggs benedict, and by the moans coming from his mouth, he was enjoying his food a great deal.

Looking over her menu, she failed to hide her smile when she looked at her sister. Artemis looked lost in the options, her silver eyes twinkling. If Athena was betting a person, she bet her sister was devouring the options in the dessert and cake section.

When a few minutes passed, the man from the counter appeared by the table, a small notebook in his hand. No longer standing behind the counter, Athena and Artemis got a good look at him. If they had to guess, he looked the same age as Athena in her current form, somewhere in his mid-twenties. He was blonde with bright azure eyes. His skin was tanned and looked like he belonged on a beach somewhere in California. He was tall, around the same height as Apollo and Hermes in their mortal forms, and was built lean. He was dressed in smart casual wear, with dark jeans and a white shirt, and around his waist was a black apron with the logo of the diner on the front in orange.

At first glance, they thought he was a son of Apollo since he had the typical traits of their brother's demigod children. However, getting a sense of the man, they couldn't sense any godly connection that a demigod typically had. "Good afternoon, and welcome to the Fox's Den. My name is Naruto, it's nice to meet you both," He introduced and glanced at Artemis, "I'm sorry if I startled you earlier."

Artemis narrowed her eyes up at the man but saw no ill will in his gaze. "It's fine, but you didn't startle me. I was just engrossed in your selections in the cabinet, that's all."

"I see. Thank you for the compliment, though. I'm glad you liked what you saw." His words sounded sincere, and Artemis couldn't sense him playing any game. He didn't appear bothered by their beauty, unlike other's in the room who kept glancing at them from the corners of their eyes. It wasn't every day two beautiful women of their standard walked into a place like this. Perhaps he would be tolerable.

"Did the owner make them all?" She asked, nodding in the direction of the cabinet.

"Most of them, yes. Some came from the suppliers, but most of them are from my hands." He admitted.

"You're the owner?"

"I am."

Artemis didn't say much else. He felt her gaze linger on him before it slipped back to the menu. He took that as his cue to move on and turned to Athena.

"Naruto, you say?" Athena asked, leaning back on her chair and appearing amused by his name. Her grey eyes sparkled with curiosity, "It's rare to meet someone with a Japanese name, and yet doesn't appear to hold any ties to Japan."

He laughed, "I guess you could say my parents had a flair for exotic names."

"I see that. I must say, your menu is unique. It's not like other menu's you see for a cafe diner like this one." Athen mentioned, "Any reason for that?"

She didn't know what she expected for him to say, but she didn't expect him to shrug. "Not really. I'm fortunate enough that I've travelled the world and learned all types of different delicacies each country has to offer. I did think about creating a restaurant, but I've always preferred cafe diners. I find them to be more intimate and gives you more of a chance to get to know the people that visit."

Athena nodded, "Did you ever get a chance to visit Greece? I happen to be greek myself."

Μπορώ, και βρήκα τον χρόνο μου στην Ελλάδα πολύ ευχάριστο. _(I can, and I found my time very enjoyable.)_

Both Athena and Artemis looked surprised at his sudden language change. It wasn't often they met someone in New York who could speak Greek. It wasn't a language most people chose to learn, unlike French, or Spanish. Getting over her surprise, Athena gave him an appraising look, "I'm impressed. You speak well, and fluently."

"Thank you. It took a long time, but I finally managed to catch on." He replied, before clicking the top of his pen, "Are you both ready to order?"

"I think so," Artemis muttered, giving her sister a pointed look before looking back at the blonde, "I'll take a hot chocolate, with a slice of the carrot cake. Could I also have a dash of vanilla in my drink, please ."

"Absolutely." He replied, before adding, "Would you like whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on your hot chocolate?"

"I would, yes."

"I'll take a latte, please. Like my sister, I'll have a dash of vanilla in my drink, and may I ask, what is your special dessert of the day?" Athena asked. Her interest peaked when she saw that little nugget on the menu.

"Of course. The speciality today is a Lemon Curd Italiano Semifreddo." He told her and failed to hide his smile when he saw her eyes sparkle. She liked the sound of that.

"That sounds wonderful. I'll have that, please."

Naruto nodded, and wrote down the order, "Absolutely. You're in luck, we ran out an hour ago, but I've got the next batch almost ready. It will take about ten minutes if you don't mind waiting. It's proved to be very popular today."

"That would be fine." Athena nodded and watched him walk away. When he walked back behind the counter, she turned to her sister and noticed her silver eyes gazing straight at her. "What?"

"I didn't say anything."

"No, but you look like you want to say something."

"It's nothing. I'm just noticing how chummy you were with the man."

Athena rolled her eyes and scoffed, "I was merely caught off guard by the way he spoke Greek. It's not every day someone in New York can speak fluent Greek. If he can learn a second language, and open up his own business, it means he's got one of these." Athena poked the side of her head, "Plus he's the only one not leering in our direction which is nice."

"I swear, if that man in the corner licks his lips in my direction one more time, I will throw this knife straight into his eye." She picked up the knife and toyed with it between her fingers. "You know I would."

"Oh, I know you would sister." Athena laughed, plucking the knife out of her sister's hand and putting it back on the table. The last thing she wanted was her sister to make a scene. Artemis huffed and tried to look annoyed at her sister, but started to laugh along with Athena as her sister gently kicked her under the table. "We should do this more often. It's nice to get away from everyone."

"I agree. It's not like my Hunters are incapable of looking after themselves once a week."

"I think once a week would be lovely."

It wasn't long before they were interrupted by the blonde barista, who placed their drinks on the table in front of them. Both Goddess looked impressed with their orders and recognised the signs of someone taking care and pride in their work. Artemis did her best to keep her face from drooping as the delightful smell of her hot chocolate wafted around her nose. It smelt just like the hot chocolate Hestia would prepare for her. Athena had a similar expression on her face, wrapping her hand around the warm mug. When he placed Artemis's carrot cake in front of her, the goddess licked her lips, her sweet tooth craving for the treat.

While Naruto prepared Athena's order, the two quietly drank their drinks, both relaxing into their seats as the taste touched their lips. Both let out a sigh of delight, impressed by their orders. It was easy to make a bad drink, but it was difficult to make a great one. So far, they would give the barista credit where credit was due. However, when Artemis had the first bite of her carrot cake, Athena couldn't help but giggle as her sister started demolishing the baked good.

"I take it the cake is good?" She asked, but didn't get an answer. Her sister was too engrossed with the cake to reply, her mouth too full to form words. A thumbs up would suffice.

When he returned, he was surprised to find both Artemis's mug empty and her plate void of any cake. "Wow, I guess you liked it, huh?" He said, before motioning to her nose, "You have a little something on your nose." It was whipped cream from her drink.

Artemis's eyes widened and swiped at her nose with her palm. She stared at her sister with irritation, hissing, "I had whipped cream on my nose! Why didn't you tell me!"

Athena laughed to herself, "I thought you'd realise eventually." She teased, before noticing the plate in his hand, "For me?"

He nodded, "For you. I hope you enjoy. Let me know If I can get you anything else." He told them, and started to leave before he saw Artemis looking his way, "Can I get you another drink?"

"Same again, please. Drink and cake." She said, making him smile and head back to the counter. She looked at her sister and noticed her looking down at the plate, her fork in hand. Artemis wasn't one to praise a mortal often, especially a male mortal. However, she had to admit the Lemon Curd Italiano Semifreddo he made looked divine. It looked like something you'd find in high-class mortal society. Hell, it was something she imagined Hera serving at her temple. "Well, aren't you going to try it?"

"I want to, but I feel like it would be a shame to ruin it," Athena whispered, admiring the delicate work that must have come with making it. She was no incredible chef like Hestia, Hera, or grandmother Rhea, but Athena occasionally liked to dabble in the kitchen the mortal way. She found there was something therapeutic about cooking, and she understood why so many mortals took it upon themselves to learn. It must have taken him years of practice to achieve such quality of work.

It took a moment, but slowly Athena dug her fork into the Lemon Curd. The texture was light and fluffy, and she watched it jiggle around as she brought it up to her mouth. Taking a bite, Artemis watched as Athena fell back against her chair, her rhythmic breathing making her sister lean forward in anticipation. Judging by the expression on her sisters face, the dessert had gone over well. Her composed elder sister rarely let her cool visage slip, always retaining a mask of dignity that kept her true feelings behind closed doors.

Athena wasn't the kind of goddess that wore her feelings on her sleeve, but Artemis was one of the few that could see behind that visage. It was always a pleasant experience for the Goddess of the Moon to see her composed sister drop all pretences and enjoy something for what it was.

Then, out of nowhere, Athena let out a loud moan of delight that caught everyone's attention.

Okay. That might have taken it a step too far.

The whole room fell quiet, and every mortal within the establishment, male and female gaped and blushed in Athena's direction. Artemis couldn't stop the flush of gold from lacing her cheeks. She gawked at her sister, looking between her and the plate. Even she wasn't that bad. It sounded so sexual!

"A-Athena! W-What in the name of H-Hades was that!"

Coming to her senses, Athena couldn't stop her eyes from widening, "I-It's not what you think!"

That was a lie and she knew it. The moment she realised what she had just done, Athena brought up her free hand up to her mouth in shock horror. She didn't dare look around the room at the gaping mortals, but the blonde owner was in her viewpoint, and she could see his surprise and disbelief. _'I can't believe I just did that!' _She thought. Never in her more than four thousand years of existence, had she ever publically done something so candid. What made it worse was doing it in public.

'_What the hell is wrong with me!'_

She hid her face, the embarrassment worse then the time she tried to play the flute in front of the other gods.

When he walked back over, Athena didn't dare look him in the eye. After he provided Artemis with her second round of orders, he stopped and whispered to Athena, "I'm glad you enjoyed it." He smiled politely, and before she could reply, he walked away. Oh god, what must he have been thinking?

"Hey, blondie," He stopped and turned around, and everyone looked towards an older woman who was sat a few tables over. She pointed at Athena, "I'll have what she's having."

Athena groaned and hid her face in her hands. She wished the earth would swallow her up for eternity.

* * *

'_What a day.'_

When the last customer left the Fox's Den, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief as swapped the open sign to close. Seaking the comfort of the nearest chair, he finally had a moment to put his feet up and let the day wash over him. Whoever thought running a business would be stressful? Not him, that's for sure. Other people made it look so easy. Not to mention, the movies made it look like a piece of cake. He could with all confidence say that it was not easy. Catching Tora the cat on a D Rank mission was easier.

However, as stressful as the job was, this was the path he chose to acclimate into modern-day life. As it turned out, he was very good at it. Cooking and baking had always been a hobby of his, and something he found therapeutic. Feeding fulfiled a survival need for all living creatures, and the feeling of fulfilment came not only from the good of the act of giving but also the fact that we have 'helped' in some form. Cooking for others helps bond human beings to loved ones and fellow humans. At least, that's how he saw it.

There was also the fact that people loved cake and coffee. Both played huge parts in humanities daily life that it seemed like a given. Rubbing his forehead with his forearm, he clapped his hands together.

"Alright guys, you know what to do."

The door that led to the kitchen and the backroom swung open, and three of his shadow clones marched out in a single file, giving the original Naruto a salute as they started the evenings cleanup. The evening had been a busy one with the post-Christmas rush. A lot of families had stopped by and spent the majority of the evening, as well as couples of all ages enjoying the post-Christmas bliss and exploring the post-Christmas deals throughout the city. Perhaps he should have opened up in the New Year like he originally intended. At least, that way, he could ease into modern life a little easier, without having to deal with the Christmas holidays, and all it brought with it. Humanity sure had changed.

Though, he did notice the festive and seasonal beverages went over a treat with his customers, and he was already thinking about what to do once January arrived. Humanity sure had a sweet tooth.

_'Well, at least no one has complained as of yet. Everything seems to have gone over well.'_

With that thought, his mind turned to a memory from earlier that day. The image of the two beautiful sisters that entered his establishment crossed his mind. Both women were equally as pleased with their orders, though one was certainly more vocal than the other. Naruto had almost dropped the other woman's order when the moan of pure delight reached his ears. He was no blushing virgin, but the fact remained it caught him by surprise.

He was aware food could be an aphrodisiac, but he didn't think it was to that high of a degree.

The sisters had stayed for an hour after that, with the one with grey eyes remaining silent for the remainder of their stay, too embarrassed to say another word, while the other demolished another two servings of hot chocolate and carrot cake. Where the auburn-haired sister put it all, he didn't know, but it was impressive to watch. Anything he put in put in front of her vanished within minutes. Not since Elagabalus of Rome had he seen someone devour his culinary wonders with such gusto. Heck, even Elvis in his later years had some form of restraint.

What a peculiar pair of women they were. He hoped they came back again soon.

Watching his clones wipe down the tables, and take the empty plates and cups to the back, he stood up and stretched his back, humming in wonder as he felt those necessary pops in his back. Taking the broom out of the closet, he got to work in doing his part before heading home for the night and doing it all over again tomorrow.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. **

**Let me know what you thought in the reviews.**


	2. Part ll

**First and foremost, I have to say thank you to everyone that read Dining with Divinity. I honestly didn't expect to receive the feedback I got back, and couldn't have imagined the support and love everyone has shown. **

**Since we're close to Christmas, I wanted to show you all my thanks and write a follow-up chapter to satisfy your appetite. I hope you all enjoy. **

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity**

**Part ll**

"Athena, come on! We need to hurry!" Artemis called out, her patience wearing thin as she paced around Athena's library.

"I'll be a moment more. Just wait one more minute, Artemis."

"You said that five minutes ago! Don't you understand time is of the essence!"

The response the Goddess of the Moon received back was a delicate laugh from her sister, accompanied by the sound of one of Athena's many rolling ladders connected to the hundreds, possibly thousands of bookcases that housed Athena's books. If one was to imagine what the personal library belonging to the Goddess of Wisdom looked like, all one had to do was imagine the New York Public Library, and then magnify it many times over. Only then would someone begin to imagine how endless and ever-growing it appeared to those who were not the Goddess herself. Even Artemis, after thousands of years of visiting her sister in her temple on Mount Olympus, still required the aid of Glaucus, Athena's companion, to navigate her way through.

If it were any other occasion, then Artemis would be in a more patient mood. However, it had been three weeks since their last outing together, and Artemis had been counting down the minutes for their next trip to her new favourite spot in the city. Their plan to spend sisterly time together once a week hit a pair of road bumps called Zeus and Hera, with the two elder gods pulling them away the moment they returned from their last outing weeks ago. Neither Athena nor Artemis had much time to spare after that.

When they weren't fulfiling their duties to their godly domains, they were on Olympus, aiding their Aunts in playing peacekeeper between the King and Queen. It was frustrating to no end, but neither could find the right opportunity to slip away without being noticed. Now, three weeks on, some form of normalcy was beginning to return. Although Zeus was still forbidden from entering Hera's temple, the Queen had finally ceased in stirring up a shouting match with her husband.

In everyone's minds, the month of June couldn't come quick enough.

Pacing within Athena's temple, the Goddess of the Moon knew why Athena was stalling. Her embarrassment from their first visit was still fresh in their mind, and Artemis was well aware her sister did not do well with embarrassing situations, especially, when she was at the centre of it. For what must have been the first time in her immortal life, Artemis was looking forward to delicious food that was made by a member of the opposite sex.

Who knew miracles could happen.

"I swear to Hades, Athena, if you don't hurry up I'm leaving without you! Don't you understand she could appear at any moment!? She's done it before!"

"Fine! Fine! I'm coming."

True to her words, the sounds of Athena's rolling ladder grew louder, and the Goddess of Wisdom appeared on Artemis's right field of vision. She was stood on the mid-step, carrying half a dozen books tucked between her arms. To Artemis's relief, Athena was already dressed for their outing to the mortal world, her dark hair neatly tied up in a high ponytail. Though it only took a click of their fingers to change their attire, the younger of the two Goddesses wasn't willing to waste another second.

"I can finish these later. Let's go before you wear down my floor with your constant pacing."

Athena had barely stepped off the ladder and discarded her books when she felt her sister grab ahold of her wrist and proceed to drag her out of her temple.

"Honestly, Artemis. I'm more than capable of walking by myself." Athena didn't get a response back. She quickened her pace, bringing her level with her younger sister and noticed her silver eyes darting between bookcases. "You don't remember the way out, do you?"

"You keep changing the layout! Just stick to one design and keep to it!"

A laugh escaped Athena, before gently escaping Artemis's grip and taking the lead between the two sisters. "Follow me." Having designed the latest layout of her library, she could understand why other members of her family found themselves lost within her temple. An underlying rule on Olympus was that Gods and Goddess don't teleport directly into each other's temples. Their temples were like their own personal and private space. A place they could escape from the world, and from the crazier members of their family. However, despite the no teleporting rule, it didn't stop the more annoying members from waltzing through the front doors like they owned the place. Artemis was one of the few Athena gave express permission to enter her temple, knowing her sister would not exploit or betray her trust.

"You need to make a map of this place. It would make life a lot easier." Artemis muttered though she perked up when she saw the exit.

"What? And run the risk of Apollo or Hermes getting their hands on it? Not a chance." Their younger brothers, Hermes in particular, could be notorious pranksters if the chance arose. The two male gods were arguably each other's best friend despite their rough start when the God of Messengers stole Apollo's cattle. Since then, the two were as thick as thieves, and two of Olympus's biggest playboys. The idea of them getting ahold of her library's layout sent shivers down her spine.

Her spear would run with godly ichor if the pair ever tried anything.

As soon as they were out, Artemis's pace quickened as they headed for the golden doors to Athena's temple. "Come on!" She ushered, trying to get her sister to walk faster, "I don't know where that damn Aphrodite is, but I don't want her catching us. I don't know how she does it, but she's sneakier then some of the deadliest creatures I hunt. She has this habit of appearing at the most inconvenient moment."

"Alright, alright." Athena replied, her heels clicking against her temple floor, "I don't think I've seen you this excited in a long time. That mortal has certainly left an impression on you."

"Don't read too much into it." Artemis insisted, her eyes never leaving the set of golden doors as they got closer, "His establishment provides a warm and comforting aura, and it's nice to be in the presence of a male that didn't spend the entire time leering at us. It's a refreshing feeling." A dusting of golden ichor washed over her cheeks, "His food and hot chocolate were nice too."

A bark of laughter escaped Athena, "I think we both know you liked it more than that. What were the words you used after we left?" Athena tapped her chin, "Oh, that's right. It feels like someone poured ambrosia and nectar all over our tastebuds, and covered us in a warm blanket."

"I-I don't remember saying anything like that!"

"Funny, because I do."

"Y-Yes well," Artemis stuttered, as she pressed her hand on the doors and pushed it open, "A-At least I didn't let out a loud and sexual moan after a single bite of lemon curd!"

This time it was Athena's turn to splutter in surprise. "I-It was not a sexual moan!"

"Yes, it was!"

"No, it wasn't! Besides, how would you know!"

"Don't turn this around on me!"

The two sisters narrowed their eyes at one another. Though close, the sisters did have the odd tiff, as rare as it was. As Artemis prepared to throw another barb her sister's way and Athena was trying to come up with an excuse for her past action, the rich smell of perfume hit the pair of Goddesses like a tonne of bricks. Their bodies froze and slowly turned their heads in the direction of the door where a haze of pink smoke enveloped the doorway to Athena's temple. Neither could say a word as the very person they were trying to avoid being caught by appeared in all her stunning glory. Currently possessing baby blue eyes that shined as bright as sapphires, with bouncy dark chocolate curls that hung down to the middle of her back, the Goddess of Love was midway through knocking on the door when she noticed Athena and Artemis standing in her way.

Aphrodite blinked in surprise, but soon became a bundle of joy as she clapped her hands together, seemingly oblivious to the frozen stares she was getting, "Oh, how wonderful! I was about to come and find you both, but you've saved me the trouble!" She said. Reaching forward, neither Athena, nor Artemis could do anything as Aphrodite looped an arm through each of their arms, and marched them out onto the streets of Olympus. "Let's have a girls day! Just the three of us! Won't that be terrific!"

The Goddess of love wasn't giving either of her fellow Goddesses a chance to back out. This was happening whether they wanted it or not.

As their senses returned to them, Artemis shot Athena a look of betrayal as she realised the predicament she was now stuck in.

_'I told you this would happen!' _

All Athena could do was sigh, and thank the fates that Aphrodite hadn't appeared seconds earlier.

* * *

Stretching his arms out in front of him, the blonde owner of The Fox's Den found himself leaning against the counter as he stared out the window and across the street.

Trying to repress a yawn from breaking out, he turned and looked across the inside of the Den, taking in the people that were visiting. It had been a slow day compared to the last couple of weeks, but with Christmas over and children returning to school and adults returning to work, a routine was beginning to form through his weekdays. Saturday was always going to busy, while Sunday he was only open for half a day. Even he needed a break and time to rest.

_'Boy, the last hour is dragging.'_

Right now, he was in the middle of the slow period. The afternoon rush during lunch had proven to be one of his business periods of the day, some opting to stay in while others chose to take their food away with them and find a quiet spot to eat in solitude away from the bustling streets. It was a few minutes past two, and the people slowly filtered out until the room was only a third of the way full. It wasn't that he wasn't enjoying the peace, but there was something about the pressure from the swarm of people all coming in at once that got his blood going.

In the backroom, he knew his clones were hard at work. At least, that's what he was hoping anyway. Even after all this time, his clones still had a habit of doing things their way when they got antsy, but those moments had become few and far between. These days, they did as they were told, and he was thankful for it.

Noticing a hand waving at him from one of the tables next to the window, he smiled and walked over with his notepad and pen in his apron pocket.

"Another black coffee for you, Mam?" He asked, watching as the young blonde woman stared down at the papers spread out on the table. From what he gathered, the young woman was in the middle of her training to become a teacher. Math, if he remembered right. She'd come in two hours ago, during the lunchtime rush and had yet to leave. Every time he looked her way, he found the woman biting down on her pencil, leaving tiny grooves in the wood. It looked like she was preparing for an exam if the papers were anything to go by, with notes and scribbles covering the blank spaces.

"Yes, please." She picked the mug up and held in his direction, her eyes never leaving the paper.

"How are you getting on? I can't say Math was ever one of my forte's.

"It's going fine. I'd be better with another cup of coffee though."

One of his eyebrows went up, but he said nothing. Instead, he took the mug and went through with her next order. Despite professional curtesy, a small part of him was tempted to add a dash of chilli sauce to the drink.

_'Rude.'_

As he fulfilled the order, little did he know, at that same moment a street over from the Fox's Den, the three Goddesses of Olympus converged on its location.

"No! No! Macy's is that way!" Aphrodite pointed in the direction opposite to the way they were walking, "I saw the most beautiful pair of Gucci heels that would look great on you Artemis! Every woman needs a pair of knockout heels!" Why couldn't Artemis understand everything she was trying to do was ultimately for the betterment of the Moon Goddess? "Let me help you!"

Biting back a curse, Artemis pulled the struggling Love Goddess along the pavement, "And I told you, I don't need a stupid pair of heels! I'll take a pair of sandals or combat boots at any time of the week! Besides, Athena and I already made plans before you stuck your nose in."

"But we co-"

"No."

"Then, how ab-"

"No!"

Sighing, Athena turned and looked at the annoyed expressions on both Goddesses faces, though each for different reasons, "Aphrodite, you don't have to stay. You can go, and Artemis and I will continue our day without you."

Huffing in annoyance, Aphrodite yanked her arms out of Artemis's grip and crossed them against her chest. A pout appeared on her face, but she knew there was nothing she could do to change her fellow Olympians minds. "Fine, but this place had better be as good as you're making it out to be."

"It will be."

"It better!"

Aphrodite watched as Athena's and Artemis both suddenly stopped and stared up, coercing her to do the same. When she did, she found herself looking at the most sickly shade of orange she could imagine, with a name written across it, "The Fox's Den?" She turned her attention back to the two goddesses, "This is where you wanted to go? If you want to go to a cafe, I know a great little place in Paris. It's a terrace cafe at the western end of the Île de la Cité."

"No, this will do fine." Athena retorted, not allowing Aphrodite to usurp their day off. Before Aphrodite could reply, Athena cut her off, "Aphrodite, trust me when I say you're going to like it here." Opening the door, Athena eagerly walked inside, the bell ringing off and followed closely by Artemis, who's tongue was poking between her lips when she spied the cakes through the window.

Realising it wasn't going her way no matter what, Aphrodite relented and followed after them. "Fine then."

She hoped it would be worth it.

The second she stepped through the doors, her negative thoughts melted away as a wave of warmth covered her body like a warm comforter, and the rich smell of chocolate and coffee enveloped her senses. The delightful aroma forced Aphrodite to stop in her tracks, and take a moment to bask in the glow she was feeling. Her eyes hovered across the room, taking everything in from the shade of the walls to the fixtures hanging from the ceiling.

"Oh, how quaint!" She clapped her hands together, eliciting an eye roll from Artemis, though Athena seemed pleased at the reaction. "It smells divine in here! I can see why you wanted to come here!" Skipping forward, she mimicked Artemis's actions from the first visit and pressed her dainty hands against the glass cabinet, "These look delicious!" Proving her point, she licked her lips and tapped her fingers on the glass. As Olympus's leading authority on anything relating to chocolate and sweets, she was enjoying what she saw and smelled. "Those eclairs look to die for!"

"Welcome back!" The three heard. Looking over the counter, Aphrodite found herself locking eyes with another pair of bright blue eyes as Naruto reappeared after returning from the backroom. He wiped his brow, and smiled at the three women, and nodded his head towards Aphrodite, "And you brought a friend? It's nice to meet you."

_'Hello, Handsome!'_ Athena and Artemis's decision didn't seem like a bad one any more. She understood why they were so eager. She would be too if he was the one serving them. '_Blonde hair and blue eyes. Tall and lean. Nice complexion and works in a cute cafe. Hmm, Mama likes!'_

The Goddess of Wisdom smiled at the blonde, ignoring the looks Aphrodite was giving the owner and watched as he gathered three menus from behind the counter. To Aphrodite's surprise, even Artemis wore the tiniest smile on her face! Gone was the usual cold, or indifferent mask she'd seen her fellow goddess wear when in the presence of a male mortal.

_'What in the world!'_

"It's nice to see you again, Naruto," Athena said, accepting one of the menu's as he held them out to the three goddesses. Not wanting Aphrodite to be aware of her nerves on returning to the establishment, Athena buried those feelings away and behaved as she typically would, "We hoped to come again sooner, but responsibilities tend to get in the way. You know how it goes."

"I sure do, and don't worry about it." He waved it off, "Your table from before is free if you want it. Or would you like to sit elsewhere?"

Scanning the room, it was Artemis that spoke, "May we take a booth?" She pointed to the back of the room, where all the booths were currently available.

"Sure, make yourselves at home. I'll be over in a couple of minutes."

"Thank you." Heading towards the table, the trio of goddesses weaved their way through the interior, ignoring the stares they were receiving from the other patrons. Aphrodite couldn't help but give a wink to a cute looking man sitting on his own close to the restroom and giggled when he nearly choked on his drink. Slipping into one of the available booths, Artemis claimed one side, while Athena and Aphrodite shared the other.

"I think I'm beginning to see why you girls like it here," Aphrodite said, making herself comfortable and slipping off her jacket, revealing a snow-white cardigan that showed off her perfect form and curves, "The owner is a bit of a hunk, don't you think?" Neither Athena nor Artemis replied, and soon, Aphrodite found herself holding back a giggle, amused at how serious they looked as they read the menu.

"What are you thinking, Artemis? Carrot cake again?"

Artemis shook her head, "I'm not sure. It was heavenly last time, but I feel like I should try one of the others. Red Velvet, maybe?" There was too many to choose!

"That's a good one. Though, it would be hard to beat Aunt Hestia's Red Velvet cake from seven years ago during the Summer Solstice."

"That's what I was thinking but I'm tempted. I think I'll pick a hot chocolate again, though." Artemis looked up from her menu, her silver eyes staring into Athena's grey ones, "Are you going with the lemon curd again?"

Aphrodite noticed the thick gulp by the Goddess of Wisdom and watched her bring the menu up close to her face, "N-No, not this time. Besides, that was a special of the day. I doubt he will have it again. I might go for something a little different."

Watching the back and forth, Aphrodite's lips formed a tiny O shape, listening to her fellow goddesses converse. She wanted to know what the fuss was all about. _'They talk as if it's the best thing in the world_.' Like many of Olympus's goddesses, Aphrodite had wined and dined in the finest establishments humanity had to offer. Whether it was the high society life of the rich and famous in Hollywood, New York, Paris, or London, and being catered too by the best chef's that ever lived, Aphrodite couldn't understand why Athena and Artemis were getting lost in the menu the way they were. Surely it wasn't that good? It was just a cafe diner in the middle of West Village. They weren't even on the Upper East Side! Not to mention no one in the world could compete with the delicious delicacies that Hestia, Hera and Mother Rhea were known to create.

It just wasn't possible.

Opening up her menu, she scanned through the first page before her eyes widened, '_Wow! Look at that menu!_' There was so much to choose! Her favourite cafe in Paris didn't have a menu anything close to this!

Oh! Today was going to be a good day!

The table fell silent, each Goddess finding themselves as wrapped up in what to choose as the other. Beneath the table, all three tapped their shoes against the hardwood floor as the choices ran through their minds. None of the three Olympians looked at each other, their eyes glued to the options. Athena had her eyes narrowed, Artemis was eagerly licking her lips, and Aphrodite was busy biting a nail.

_'What to choose!'_

As expected, after a couple of minutes passed, all three felt Naruto appear by their table, his notebook and pen in hand and giving them all his trademark smile, "Thanks for waiting. Are the three of you ready to order?"

Looking around the table, the blonde owner turned to Athena, deciding to start with her. Straightening her back, Athena cleared her voice, "I believe so." She looked at the pair and saw them nod, though Artemis still looked a tad unsure, "I'll take a latte please, though instead of vanilla, may I have a dash of cinnamon this time?" She watched him nod his head and write the order down, "And I remember seeing someone with Eggs Benedict the last time I was here. I'll have one of those, please."

"Absolutely. Those are all great choices."

When he turned to Artemis, the goddess appeared to have finally made her mind up, "I'll take a hot chocolate, and this time, I'll get a slice of the Chocolate Coconut cake."

"Sure. What kind of hot chocolate would you like?"

..

..

"..I'm sorry?"

Artemis looked at the man in surprise and watched him scratch the back of his head, "Oh, right. Sorry. I forgot you haven't visited in a few weeks. I've added a couple of different types of hot chocolate, besides the standard type you'd expect and I'm waiting on the new menu's to arrive. Would you like to hear them?"

Artemis said nothing and nodded. New types of hot chocolate? She hadn't prepared for this.

"Well, right now I have six types, but I'm planning on bringing in more over time," Naruto held out his fingers, "We've got regular, rocky road, mint chocolate, white chocolate, salted caramel and orange chocolate."

Each flavour made her eyes gleam, though one, in particular, stood out, "I'll take the salted caramel."

"You got it."

"And don't forget the whipped cream and sprinkles!"

"I would never be so cruel," He joked. Across from Artemis, Athena smiled at her sister's eagerness. No matter how cold, or intense Artemis could become when crossed, the Moon Goddess would always be a child at heart. Even Aphrodite, who so desperately wanted to tease the younger goddess, couldn't bring herself to do so. She looked so cute and not at all like the huntress that struck fear into monsters everywhere!

When he turned to Aphrodite, the Love Goddess batted her eyelashes at him, "I'll take strawberry milkshake please," She lifted a delicate finger and pointed to something that caught her eye, "I couldn't help but notice you have a section of entremets on the menu."

"I do, yes."

Her smile widened, and leaned forward on the table, "It's rare to find that type of dish outside of France done well. Most people tend to overpower one layer too much, causing the rest to suffer. You've sparked my curiosity." Her hand came up and rested in her palm, purposely posing in a way that enticed most men she met. Next to her, Athena and Artemis frowned, "I'm no connoisseur, but I've spent a great deal of time in Paris and around France, learning the language. So, I know how a good entremet should taste."

The blonde owner listened and smiled, "If it helps you in making a decision, then you should know I learnt how to make entremets during my time in Paris." Aphrodite's eyes shined at that piece of information, "Take your pick, and I'll make it my duty to knock your heels off. "

"Very well, challenge accepted." Winking up at him, she briefly looked across the selection before making up her mind, "That one. The Apple Spice one, please."

"Good choice." After he finished noting the orders down, he bowed his head to the three ladies, though kept his eyes on the Love Goddess, "_Je reviendrai avec vos commandes sous peu." (I will return with your orders shortly.)_

A short gasp escaped from Aphrodite's lips as she watched him walk away. Before long, it was replaced by a smirk and gleam in her eyes that her fellow Olympians had seen one too many times. "You didn't say he spoke French!?" This mortal got better and better by the second!

Athena looked equally as surprised, "I didn't know. Though he does speak greek, and he did say he'd travelled around the world. Perhaps I should have foreseen the possibility that he could speak numerous languages by that information alone." Athena leaned back against her seat, ignoring Aprhodite's surprise, and watching him from the corner of her eye, "He's a very surprising mortal." It had been some time since a mortal had piqued her interest in such away. That was one more thing she could say that she liked about the blonde.

"He's might be the only male mortal I can tolerate." Artemis added, before narrowing her eyes at the Love Goddess, "Which is why I forbid you from trying to take him to your bed."

"What! Hey, you can't do that!" Aphrodite whined, leaning forward and stared directly at the younger goddess, "Besides, who's to say I would!?"

Next to her, Athena scoffed, "Don't think we don't recognise that gleam in your eyes, Aphrodite. We know how you operate." She warned, steeling her grey eyes, "And I concur with Artemis. Don't get any funny ideas!"

"Who I bring to my bed is my business! Not yours!"

"Well, I like coming here, so I'm making it my business."

"Why don't you stick to your girl scouts, Arty!"

"Why don't you stop corrupting every tolerable male out there!"

"Maybe you'll notice more of them if you spoke first, and shot an arrow later!"

"How about you close your legs for once, instead of acting like a 24/7 Seven-Eleven!"

_Kick!_

Artemis's eyes widened, before levelling the love Goddess with a glare, "Did you just kick me!"

In response, Aphrodite did the grown-up thing and stuck her tongue out at the Moon Goddess. "Alright! That's it!" Kicking the Love Goddess back in return, the two women spent the next couple of minutes kicking and stamping each other's legs, with each swing getting harder and more creative than the last. It would have been a comical sight watching the two beautiful goddess squabbling if Athena hadn't manipulated the mist around them. To the eyes of the mortals around them, all they were seeing was the three women conversing casually.

_'I should have known,'_ Athena thought, observing the two squabble like children, both amused and annoyed at the same time. She could feel a headache coming on. The two were the polar opposites of each other, and they never failed in bringing out the worst in each other.

Subtly, Athena moved any cutlery away from the Moon Goddess. She didn't need her sister getting any creative ideas.

The moment she saw Naruto returning with their orders, Athena intervened and mimicked the actions of their Aunt Hestia and how she would stop the two from their petty arguments. She lurched forward and with both hands, grabbed an ear from each goddess and gave them a hard yank.

"Ow!"

"Hey!"

Before either could say another word, the returning blonde reappeared by their table, "Here you go, ladies. Enjoy." Placing their drinks in front of them, he followed up the action with Artemis and Athena's food, and turned to Aphrodite, "Your order will be right out in a moment."

"Thanks." She replied, rubbing her ear and shooting a glare at Athena, who was smiling her thanks at Naruto.

Once the pain in her ear passed, Aphrodite found herself gripping the straw of her milkshake. As she hoped, it was in a tall glass with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles coating the top of the drink, and a small strawberry delicately placed on the rim. It smelled divine.

Looking around the table, she found herself looking in amazement as Athena sunk into her seat, her latte cupped in one hand while the other held her fork. She looked completely and utterly at peace as she took a bite of her Egg's Benedict. It was an expression she rarely saw from Athena, barring the occasions the Goddesses of Olympus would commune around Hestia's Hearth.

Across from her, the annoyance slipped away from her occasional rival goddess, who's silver eyes lit up like a child on Christmas morning. Watching Artemis, she had to hold back a laugh as a moustache made of whipped cream coated her top lip, while her hand brought up a piece of her coconut cake, which looked incredible. She wanted to tease her but decided to leave it be.

Puckering her lips, Aphrodite took a swig of her drink and blinked as the sweet drink enveloped her godly tastebuds. It was neither too thick nor to thin, and walked that fine line between too sweet, and not sweet enough. To put it bluntly, Aphrodite thought it was one of the best milkshakes of her life.

"Holy Mother of Rhea, that's good!" She whispered, loud enough for Athena and Artemis to hear her, the former of who smirked as she enjoyed the taste of cinnamon in her latte. For the next minute, the three sat in silence, with Aphrodite swaying her legs from side to side beneath the table, her head resting in her palm as she relished in the taste of her milkshake. Oh, she was coming back for sure! She could see herself becoming a regular if everything was as good as this!

She was so wrapped up with her delightful drink that she didn't even sense Naruto appear beside her and lay a plate in front of her. She was about to speak but found her words lost on her as she gazed down at the plate.

_'Oh my.'_

"Enjoy."

Walking away, Athena and Artemis looked up from their dishes, staring at the Love Goddess as she pushed her milkshake gently to the side, her hands clasping together as she stared down at her order. Neither woman could fault since both looked as mesmerised at the sweet treat on the plate. Sat on the top of the incredible looking orange coloured pastry was a spiral-shaped apple garnish, and cinnamon sticks delicately leaning against the garnish. Like before with the lemon curd, Athena and Artemis thought it looked like something Hera would serve at her temple. The Queen of the Gods only accepted the best of the best, and the apple spice entremet Aphrodite ordered looked like it belonged nowhere else.

"Wow," Artemis muttered. It looked amazing.

"It looks incredible," Aphrodite whispered, picking up her fork and digging into her sweet treat. Part of her didn't want to ruin the beauty of the dish. No one relished in beauty as she did. It was one of her domains after all. Slowly, she took a bite and fell back against her seat at the explosion of flavour. Her lips pursed together, and her fellow goddesses watched as her pupils exploded in a mirade of colours, like a kaleidoscope.

"I think that's one more person won over."

"Hmmmm!"

Both Athena and Artemis froze and steadily looked up from their meals. A flush of gold-dusted across their cheeks. Across the room, like it did weeks earlier, the whole room went silent, and everyone, Naruto included, stared in Aphrodite's direction. The Goddess of Love cared little for the reactions going on around her, too busy enjoying her godly tastebuds getting overwhelmed by the flavour.

"HMMMM!"

Artemis almost chocked on drink, _'Oh no. Not again!'_

_'At least it wasn't me this time.' _Athena thought, her fork hanging in the air, watching Aphrodite dig into her meal like a woman possessed._ 'She's worse than Artemis!' _Bits of mousse covered her lips, and crumps covered the edge of her mouth. Both did nothing but watch as Aphrodite finished off the dessert in a matter of moments. If they weren't blushing from Aphrodite's reaction, they would have been impressed by how quickly she devoured the dessert.

Even Naruto, who busy preparing another order stumbled at how loud Aphrodite was being.

_'Again?'_ He thought.

Handing the customer their drink, Naruto slowly walked over to the table. On the one hand, he was happy to see he'd won their little challenge. He'd yet to have a complaint come through his doors, and he didn't plan on starting today. On the other hand, did she have to be so vocal about it? His blue eyes gazed across to Athena, giving her a look amplified her embarrassment.

"I guess you two must be related too, huh? You're a lot alike," He joked. Athena shrank in her seat, her hands covering her face. Just once, she'd like to come to the Fox's Den without being filled with embarrassment.

Hearing his voice, the Goddess of Love turned her head, ignoring the fact she had mousse and crumps all over the lower half of her face and looked at him with widened eyes. Before Athena or Artemis could say or do anything, everyone watched as Aphrodite stood up on her seat, perfectly balanced in her heels and making herself taller than the blonde. The mirade of colours was rampant in her eyes, switching from blue, to green, to brown, and every other colour imaginable, though only her fellow Olympians could see it.

"Is everything ok-" The blonde owner started to speak, but was silenced when she rushed forward, slamming her lips against his. His eyes widened and felt a pair of arms snake around his head, her petite fingers threading themselves through his hair and pulling him in close. He could feel her nibbling against his bottom lip, and couldn't help but place his hands on her hips. He didn't know where else to put them! He could taste the apple and cinnamon from the dessert, along with the almonds he added to the mix. He wasn't sure how long he stood there, but he could feel the shocked expressions from his other customers staring at them. The clattering of cutlery dropping was a telltale sign.

"Aphrodite!"

"That's the opposite of what we told you to do!"

Both Athena and Artemis lurched forward and grabbed the older goddess, pulling her back and forcing her back to her seat. Artemis looked as if she wanted to wring the Love Goddesses neck. This was what she was afraid of!

"You can't help yourself, can you?" Artemis hissed. Athena glared at the back of Aphrodite's head. If it was possible, the Goddess of Wisdom would be glaring a hole into the back of her head. Their anger only intensified when Aphrodite started giggling. She batted her eyelashes his way and blew him a kiss. "Say thank you like a normal person!"

"Don't worry ladies, I'm sure he didn't mind." She continued to giggle, ignoring the fact that Artemis looked ready to combust. She wished she had her hunting knives with her. Slowly, her giggling ceased, and the blonde owner watched as she mouthed, "Merci pour le régal." (Thank you for the treat.) She sent a wink his way too.

The surprised Naruto stood there staring at the three women, his free hand coming up and touching his lips. He could feel the sensation of her lips still on his, her tongue begging to wrestle with his. Tasting past the dessert, he detected a hint of honeysuckle and had a feeling there were smears of the woman's pink lipstick on his face.

_'How long has it been since that happened?' _He honestly couldn't remember.

Behind him, the bell to the Fox's Den rang, and Naruto took that as his cue to turn around and leave, ignoring the woman's resumed giggling. He weaved his way through the tables and chairs, ignoring the stares sent his way, and returned to his spot behind the counter, trying to control the blush on his face.

"W-Welcome to the Fox's Den!"

* * *

**Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you thought in the review section. **

**I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas**.


	3. Part lll

**Happy New Year everyone. Once again, I would like to say thank you for all the love you have shown me in regards with this series. Your love and support mean the world to me. As a treat to you all, I wanted to get Part lll out for you all at the start of the new year. Part lV will take a bit longer to get out. I'm going to be busy over the next fortnight but I'm aiming for around the end of the month. Until then, I hope parts l-lll can hold you over. **

**I hope you all enjoy this new chapter. **

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity 3**

**Part lll**

Letting out a yawn, Naruto rubbed his face as he tried to wipe the sleep out of his eyes. Waking up at five am every morning had been a struggle initially. For as long as the blonde shinobi could remember, he'd never been a morning person. From his time in the academy to his days as a member of Team Seven, and even during his tenure as the Seventh Hokage of Hidden Leaf Village, waking up at such an obscene time was a struggle. These days, being the owner of a cafe diner required him to open up hours before the rest of the world opened their eyes, and get everything ready for the day that lay ahead. He didn't have the luxury of Kakashi-sensei, or later on, Hinata, to wake him up anymore.

He could have made a shadow clone and have the clone do it, but he knew if he did that, and remained in bed, he would do it every morning. He didn't want to fall into the trap of beginning a bad habit. It was the same reason he didn't use the Hiraishin to get to work. Besides, the walk from his home to the Fox's Den helped wake him up. It was Sunday, which meant he was only open until two. After that, he planned on going home and sleeping the day away until it was time to restart his week all over again.

Walking the streets at such an early time, it would always surprise him to see people much like himself, out and about already starting their day. The sun hadn't even risen yet, and the brisk chill of the air nipped at his skin, reddening his cheeks and the tip of his nose. He nodded his head at a passerby, who was heading towards a nearby OPS truck as packages of all sizes were being loaded on and off with great care.

OPS? That must be new.

"Morning."

"Good Morning."

Rounding the corner, he sniffled when the Fox's Den came into sight with its bright orange frame standing out amongst the dull colours of the other building. Didn't people understand if they wanted to attract the attention of the people passing by, then what better way was there then using the brightest shade of the best colour in the world!? If nothing else, it would cause people to stop and look.

Digging into his pockets and pulling out a key, he quickly entered the Fox's Den and locked the door behind him. Switching the lights on, he could still detect the lingering scent of chocolate and coffee from the day before. Shaking the cold away, he eyed up the coffee machine to warm him up as he removed his coat and hung it up in his office, which was nothing more than a little hole in the wall room where he could keep all the legal stuff and keep the computer.

Crossing his fingers, he called out his trademark jutsu, "**Shadow Clones Jutsu!**" Two dozen Naruto's appeared in front of him, falling into three lines of eight and offered the original a quick-fingered salute.

"Alright, you all know the drill. The list of what we need to make this morning will be on the countertop. The special of the day won't be anything too fancy, but I thought we'd go with a blueberry skyr cheesecake." He watched them nod their heads, "The skyr yoghurt is on the top shelf. If we need any more, Hiraishin over to Reykjavik and head to that store I frequented when last there. The one nearest to the theatre house." They nodded again, forcing him to clap his hands together, "Alright then. You know what to do. Let's go!"

"Hai!"

One by one, the clones made their way into the kitchen, the door flapping in an endless loop as each clone passed through. Letting out another yawn, he turned around and started the process of switching the machines on, from the coffee grinder to the espresso machine, to the automatic drip coffee makers. While his clones handled the baking in the kitchen, he'd handle setting the place up in the front before joining them.

While he was on his own in the front, he made himself a drink while he could. The blonde ninja was fond of a Spanish latte, though instead of sugar, he added a splash of honey. Honey was packed full of natural sweetness and energy, and in his opinion, a better option than sugar. His hands moved together with perfect fluidity thanks to constant repetition.

Honey, along with a shot of espresso added to the mix, made him hum in delight as he brought the drink up to his mouth. Now that was the good stuff! When he was younger, he never imagined anything coming close to his love for ramen. However, these days he couldn't imagine a morning without some form of caffeine to start his day.

He had a couple of hours before he opened his doors to the public. Once open, he estimated he'd have around ten minutes before the first batch of customers started filing their way in, likely for a takeaway order. Wandering the earth for as long as he had, the blonde owner of the Fox's Den had become good at reading people. He knew when to talk to his customers, and when to leave them be and let them get on with their day.

Disappearing once again into the back room, he returned moments later with a large cardboard box in his arms and placed it down on the counter. Unsealing the top, he got a glimpse of the inside. His new order of paper cups had arrived the day before, and like most things in his life, they were bright orange too. A majority of his customers during the morning rush took their orders away with them and his paper cups were nothing more than the store-bought cups anyone could purchase. These new ones were ordered and designed for the Fox's Den, with a chibi styled fox sporting nine tails in the centre drinking a coffee.

There could never be too much orange in one person's life. Not to mention, he came to accept it was the little things in life that kept him going. Who knew new paper cups would sput a smile on his face. He hoped Kurama didn't mind having his silhouette as the new logo for his business.

"His face if he saw these. He'd be so mad." He whispered, staring at the chibi fox on the cup, and letting out a low laugh, "He'd never forgive me for turning him into a cute cartoon."

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

Blinking in surprise at the sound, Naruto turned around and faced the doorway, and found himself staring back at a pair of blue eyes on the other side of the glass. Stood with one hand knocking against the glass, was a man somewhere in his late twenties if he had to guess, and dressed up like a mailman, shorts and all. The man possessed dark curly hair poking out from beneath his hat, with elfish features and looked like he was in desperate need of a good nights sleep with dark shadows forming beneath his eyes. It was even more evident when the man broke out into a yawn.

The man then offered him a wave.

"Hey! Any chance I can come in!?"

* * *

**Moments Earlier**

"We got another delivery come in. It looks like another set of packages have come in for Janus. He's requesting it for delivery at 8 am sharp." Hermes heard, and noticed the heads of George and Martha come to life and turning to look at him. A loud ping followed after, and Hermes couldn't stop the groan from leaving his mouth as he watched Janus's name popped up on the itinerary.

As was his every day, The God of Messengers, Travellers, Thieves and a whole array of other domains found himself piled high with his usual responsibilities and duties. None of his Olympian brother's had ever worked the kind of hours he worked regularly. Apollo, in particular, as much as he loved his best friend and older brother, was going through his lazy season. The God of the Sun worked little during the winter season, hence why the days were short and the nights long, much to the ire of his twin sister. The Sun God spent his time slacking off when he should have been fulfilling his godly duties and wooing beautiful mortals and bringing them to his bed.

"We just left New Rome an hour ago. What's is Janus ordering this time!"

As much as Hermes wanted to do the same, his godly domains were some of the most time consuming with the world today and left little room for him to enjoy the pleasures that came with modern society. Back in the day, it was his duty to watch over the travellers and merchants as they went on their long and arduous journeys across Greece and deliver the messages from the Sky to the Sea, and the Underworld. As one of the few Gods who had permission to cross into the domains of his father and his uncles, it made his position on Olympus all the more important.

These days, his domains that humanity fell under became so varied thanks to society adapting and growing as a whole, that he became the busiest Olympian out of his whole family. One positive though was that out of all the gods, Hermes felt he was the one who had the best understanding of mortals, thanks to all the time he spent mingling with them. The only ones that came close were Athena and Artemis.

With today's developments, his immortal family was keeping him busier than ever. Athena and Aphrodite even had the gall to have him deliver their demi-gods to their mortal parents moments after their birth. You'd think that was something that needed a face to face conversation, but apparently, he was wrong.

On the rare occasion when he didn't have to work, he often found himself stealing a page out of Apollo's book, spending the night with a woman. There was honestly no better stress relief than a good old fashion rumble and tumble in the bedroom, which often led to the birth of his demi-god children. Speaking of his demi-god children, Hermes felt a flicker of his essence pulsate a few days back somewhere out in California. It was a feeling he'd felt many times before when his demi-god children were born. It turned out, a young woman that he spent the night with during the spring of last year had given birth to his latest son.

If it wasn't for his hectic schedule, and the laws Olympus followed, he would visit his children as often as he could. As it was, the best he could do was watch over them, and their mothers from afar and offer them aid when he could.

Eyeing up the two snakes that wrapped themselves around his famous caduceus, the two let out a low hiss as they looked over the list of deliveries he kept on the monitor at all times, "Look's like he ordered season three and four of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on DVD."

"What!? He could have just snapped his fingers and made them appear if he wanted them so bad!" Throwing his hands in the air, the Son of Zeus glared at the monitor, "I swear to Hades, that damn border god is doing this on purpose! Just order from Amazon! Not me!"

"We got another order coming in. This time from Dionysus."

Hermes rolled his eyes, "No, no, no. I know what that drunk is trying to get ahold of." He leaned forward and deleted the incoming order with a click of his fingers. Grabbing his notepad, he wrote down a short message for the God of Wine, before clicking his fingers and sending it off to the Wine God's residence at Camp Halfblood. Ever since Dionysus made the mistake of chasing after a nymph that Zeus declared off-limits, he'd been forced to remain sober and not touch any source of wine for a hundred years, as well as run Camp Half-blood. His punishment made his younger brother miserable.

"If he thinks I'm falling for his tricks, then think again. He forgets I'm the God of Thieves." His brother would be angry, but he could handle Dionysus.

Falling back against his seat, Hermes rubbed his eyes and couldn't stop the yawn from escaping his mouth. Gods, he was tired. The rest of his family didn't know how good they had it.

"I need coffee, otherwise, I'm not going to make it." Stretching out his hand, a mug reading 'Worlds Best Grandma', a recent present from Apollo appeared, coffee filled to the top inside. Giving it a quick sniff, he brought it up to his lips and instantly regretted it. Rolling down the window, Hermes spat the coffee out onto the street, followed soon after by the rest of the mug.

As a god, he could make almost anything appear if he willed it so. All he had to do was picture it in his mind, and will it to be. However, with food and drinks and other edible delicacies, said god had to have some skill over the art. He wasn't bad by any means and was known to treat his mortal lovers to a homecooked meal from time to time, which made the food he conjured pretty good. His Aunt Hestia and even his stepmother had given him their stamp of approval. Yet, for some reason unbeknownst to him, Hermes could never make a decent cup of coffee. Is was the most ridiculous thing. No matter how hard he tried, the Olympian could not crack the code after years of practising. It was such a mundane thing, yet he failed miserably at it.

If Apollo, Ares, or any of his brothers found out they wouldn't let him live it down.

Feeling someone tapping his leg, Hermes glanced over at George and Martha, the latter of whom was trying to get his attention. "What?"

"We can afford to take a short break. Why not make a stop and get refreshments?"

"Oh? And where do you suggest?"

He watched as the two snakes turn to look at each other, whisper something to one another, before turning back to look at him, "How about that place up the street?"

Hermes blinked "Place up the street?" He leaned forward and squinted his eyes. It took him a moment to realise what George and Martha were trying to point out. Up the road, not even a minute walk, he spotted a light on in one of the nearby windows. Despite Apollo not yet flying his chariot through the sky, street lights were enough to show off the orange frame that wrapped around the front of the store.

"The Fox's Den?" He read, before tapping his chin, "Why does that sound familiar?"

"It's the cafe Aphrodite mentioned a fortnight ago at Apollo's poker night." George hissed, as realisation lit up his face.

"Oh, that's right!"

How could he forget!? It was all Aphrodite went on about all night. After a while, Hermes, along with everyone else, had tuned out the Love Goddess, but some of what she said had filtered in. All he remembered her saying was that some hunky mortal made one of the most delicious strawberry milkshakes and dessert she'd ever tasted and that it was so good that Olympus's most beautiful Goddess rewarded the mortal with a big smooch in the middle of his establishment. It was so good that she dared to say it might be as good as the delicacies Aunt Hestia and Aunt Hera were known to create.

If he remembered right, even Athena and Artemis enjoyed it. If his two elder sister's enjoyed something created by a male mortal, then he must have been good. They were notoriously picky and hard to please.

Grinning, Hermes didn't hear what George and Martha said next, before waving his hand and turning his caduceus to its phone form. The Olympian God was already on his feet, closing his truck door shut with newfound energy as he marched over to the Fox's Den.

"Well!? Let's go and see what the fuss is about!"

* * *

**Present**

Leaving the counter, the blonde owner of the Fox's Den walked closer to the door, gazing curiously at the man of the other side, "Hey, I'm not open yet, and I won't be open for a couple of hours." He pointed to the clock behind on the wall behind the counter, "Come back later, and I'll be happy to take your order."

What hope he had that the guy would take his word and leave was proven false when the guy didn't move.

"Aww come on! Can't you make an exception this once?" Hermes put his hands together in a prayer motion, "I've been up for hours. I need a little pick me up, that's all."

Rolling his eyes and feeling a headache coming on, Naruto took another step closer to the door. It was too early for this. "Look, I haven't got much ready. I just walked through the door a minute ago myself. Why don't you go to Starbucks or something? I'm sure one of those is open twenty-four seven."

In response, Hermes made a face and stuck his tongue. "No way. I hate all that franchise crap. They stopped making good coffee years ago, and I hear you make a hell of a drink. I have it from a reliable source that you're one of the best in the city!"

"Oh? Who's this reliable source?" One of his regular customers maybe? He wondered if one of those food critics stopped by. He thought he saw one stop by a week ago, taking notes on a little notepad and looking very up themselves. Every order sent his way, Naruto put a little bit of extra care into, resulting in the guy leaving with the biggest smile on his face. It was a good feeling watching his customers leave with big smiles on their faces.

Hoping to get an answer, the blonde received a wagging finger in return instead. "Ah! Ah! Ah! That would be telling. I could never give up my reliable sources, but know they had nothing but glowing reviews about this place you have." Frowning, Naruto was about to speak, before he got cut off, "You're here, and the machines are on." He pointed to the coffee machine behind the blonde and pointed to the coffee that was in Naruto's hands. "Come on. Help a fella out."

Scratching the back of his head, Naruto looked too and from the mailman and his machines, before letting out a reluctant sigh. Taking a deep breath, he ignored the dark-haired man making a fist in the air, and unlocked the door. "No funny business. Got it?" Giving the man a stern look, he watched as the mailman threw his hands up in the air.

"Don't worry! I come in peace and all that good stuff. Cross my heart." He made a little motion with his hands over his chest. "I'll be gone before you know it."

"Right."

Rubbing his eyes and looking at the man suspiciously, Naruto gave a short nod and led Hermes to the counter. His gut was telling him this guy was trouble. Something about the guy screamed prankster. He would know, being one himself. Handing Hermes a menu, the blond leaned against the counter as he unwrapped his paper cups from their box and picked one out for use. "Take a look, and tell me what takes your fancy. I'll let you know if it's currently available or not."

"You got it." Naruto made a motion, and poked his head through the door leading to the kitchen, giving his clones a subtle sign not to come out. He didn't need a mailman catching his clones at work, nor did he want to explain why there were dozens of himself. "Nice place you have here."

"Thanks." The blonde replied.

"How long have you been open?"

"Not long," the blonde admitted, "About two months. I opened up before the Christmas period started. Kept me busy and gave this place the boost it needed, but it got crazy busy and hectic some days. I sometimes wondered if I made a mistake."

Hermes nodded. "I bet. Christmas is always the worst when you're in our line of work. Delivering goods to the people of the world in whatever form that takes."

Glancing across the menu, Hermes whistled, an appraising and dubious look on his face. _'Wow. Aphrodite wasn't kidding when she said this menu was varied. There's something of everything in here.'_ The Olympian would admit he wasn't one to visit cafes often. They were more his sisters kind of thing or his aunts. Like his brothers, he preferred bars or night clubs since he picked up most of his hookup from them, though he enjoyed an occasional beer or two to go with the night. _'I need something to keep me awake for the rest of the day.' _

Not knowing much apart from the standard caffeine-based beverages, Hermes eyed the drink in Naruto's hand, "What do you have?"

"Oh, this?" Naruto took a small swig of his drink, "It's a Spanish latte."

Curiosity peaking, Hermes leaned on the tabletop, "Is it any different from a regular latte?"

To answer his question, he received a waved hand in the middle of the air, "It's more of an espresso-based drink with textured milk and condensed milk. It's sweeter than a latte, but not as much as a latte with flavoured syrup. Though I don't use sugar in my drink, and instead, use honey."

Hermes nodded his head and liked the sound of everything he just heard. "I'll take one of those." He especially liked the espresso part. That would do the trick in keeping him awake.

"Sure. Do you want food to take with you?" Hermes scratched the back of his head, looking indecisive, "If you can't decide, I've got some lemon squares leftover from the day before. They won't be fresh, but they'll still taste good. I can have them bagged up for you. Free of charge since I made them the other day."

The god's eyes lit up, and a bright expression washed over his face, "That would be great. Thanks!"

"No problem. Take a seat, and I'll bring them over."

Watching as the blonde owner turned around and prepared his drink, Hermes spun around and headed for the closest table. Maybe this place was alright after all, and everything Aprhdoite was spouting on about wasn't just hot air. The mortal appeared decent enough. After all, who would give away lemon squares for free? No one he'd ever met, that's for sure. Not to mention, if he could win over his male hating sister, then the guy must be doing something right. Though, watching as the mortal went to work, he understood why Aphrodite kept mentioning the handsome owner. If he'd won over the Goddess of Love, then Hermes could count down the days she inevitably invited him into her bed.

Her two biggest weakness's after all were chocolates and handsome mortals. This guy represented both, which meant he was as good as hers, and he didn't even know it. Though, it could be hard with Athena and Artemis around. Both seemed equally as interested in the mortal, though for different reasons. As far as Hermes was concerned, he was staying out of any trouble those three might create.

He thought back to the Love Goddess,_ 'Then again, she does like a challenge.'_ He thought, leaning on the table and resting his head against his arms, _'I wonder if I should start a betting pool? A hundred drachma's maybe?' _He would have to look into this some more when he wasn't feeling as tired.

Sighing and rubbing his face as he waited for his order, Hermes shut his eyes and let his body relax. It was only for a minute. His schedule was getting busier by the minute, and spent all last night going from state to state. He earned this much. Granted, Gods didn't need as much sleep as mortals did, and could theoretically remain awake for greater lengths of times. Sometimes days, and possibly even weeks depending on the god. However, he was reaching his limit.

He just needed a moment to relax.

After a few minutes passed, Naruto finished the drink, capping the top with a plastic lid and adding a paper sleeve to the takeaway cup. "Alright, that's your drink. Give me a moment, and I'll bag up those lemon squares I promised."

...

"You alive back there?"

Zzzzzzzzzz

Stopping mid-step, Naruto glanced up from the drink, and his jaw dropped when he looked over at the table the mailman sat behind.

"You have to be kidding me!"

The Olympian had his face slumped against his arms, eyes covered by his forearm and mouth hanging wide open, causing loud snores and gargles to come out. A foot twitched against the leg of the chair, and his nose wrinkled. The blonde couldn't believe what he was seeing. Was this guy serious! He wasn't running a bed and breakfast!

Marching over, Naruto initially gave Hermes a subtle shake to jolt him into consciousness. He whispered for him to wake up, but Hermes merely turned his head. When that failed, he shook him harder, adding some extra force into the shakes. When that also failed, he started throttling the guy, shaking him like a rag doll.

"Wake up, damn it!"

Despite Naruto practically throwing the guy around back and forth in his seat, the guy wouldn't wake up as he slumped back down on the table. The guy must have been the heaviest sleeper he'd ever seen.

"How heavy of a sleeper is he!? This is ridiculous!"

He contemplated driving his fist into the back of his skull, reminiscent of Sakura waking him up during their Team Seven days. Though, he decided against it.

_'It's not like this guy can't take the hit.'_ He thought, standing back up and narrowing his eyes at the sleeping Olympian. _'I wasn't sure at first, but his energy matches those three women. He hides it well, and you'd think he was just an ordinary mailman, but he isn't.' H_e acted normally around those women for the simple reason that they gave him no reason to be on guard with them.

The blonde shinobi didn't say anything, staring at Hermes as the man's face twitched in his sleep. A smirk grew on his face and started cracking his neck and knuckles. If the guy wanted to fall asleep and leave himself open in such a manner, then that was his business. He was the one who knocked on his door before he was open. He'd been lenient, and let the guy in, but now the mailman had the guts to fall asleep as he was about to send him off with free lemon squares?

This guy didn't know he was in the presence of Konoha's Prankster King.

Deep down in his heart, Naruto was still a prankster and always would be. Seeing a prime opportunity in front of him, he couldn't resist. It got him thinking. When **was** the last time he pulled a prank on someone? Surely it wasn't as long as he was picturing. Over a decade maybe?

Either way, he needed to shake the rust from his mind. He wasn't sure how long he had, but he wasn't going to let this chance slip his grasp.

"Buddy, you don't understand what kind of a mistake you've made."

Twenty minutes later, Naruto stifled a laugh as he looked at his handy work. With more time, he could have created something more elaborate, but sadly he had to make use of his more childish side. Gods, he felt like a teenager from the modern world, laughing at something so mundane and perfectly natural. Teenagers found the silliest of things funny these days, but once again, humour was one of the many things that changed over the years. It was all sex jokes and penis reverences these days. _ 'Oh well. At least, this will teach him._

Creating one more clone, he watched as the clone moved behind the sleeping god, crouched down and extended his index and middle finger until they were inches away from Hermes's derriere. As subtle nod from the original made the clone whisper, "Lightning Release: Two Finger Jolt."

The result was instant. One second, Hermes was peacefully sleeping away with his head in his arms, and the next, he was five feet in the air, his eyes wide as his hands fell to his bottom as a sharp pain radiated from his left cheek. The clone quickly disappeared as Hermes landed on his feet.

"Hey! You're Awake!" Hermes heard, turning around and facing the counter, where the original Naruto was waiting with a drink in one hand and a paper bag in the other. "You were really out of it. I tried to wake you, but you're one of the heaviest sleepers I've ever seen. I wondered if you died for a moment."

"Wha-, I-I fell asleep?" The god rubbed his eyes, blinking the sleep out of them. When his eyes landed on the clock behind the counter, he went as pale as a ghost, "W-Wait a minute! How long have I been asleep!?"

"About twenty minutes. Maybe twenty-five."

"Oh, no, no, no." Hermes ran a hand through his hair while the other grabbed his phone out of his pocket. He scrolled through his delivery list and felt his earlier stress return with a vengeance. There were half a dozen more orders, and they were all over the world! This was going to take him all morning and into the afternoon! "I'm so screwed."

As he headed for the door in a half jog, a cough caught his attention. Naruto stood looking at him with a knowing look, shaking the paper cup and bag at him. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Oh, right!" Running back and taking his order, Hermes placed some mortal money on the table for the drink before bolting and throwing the door open. "Thanks again!" As sudden as he appeared, the God of Messengers disappeared. As soon as the door shut behind him, the blonde ninja's calm facade broke and started to chuckle to himself.

_'I wonder how long it will take for him to notice?'_ He thought. On his own once more, he clapped his hands together, "Alright. Let's get this place ready."

* * *

**Olympus**

_'Okay. Something funny is going on here.'_ Hermes thought as he walked the cobbled streets of Mount Olympus.

Frowning, he watched as another pair of nymphs often found grazing around the foothills of Olympus sauntered off, erupting into a fit of giggles and hushed tones when they saw him. One by one, as the incidents grew, his paranoia started doing the same. Everyone he came across resulted in the same issue arising. It had been like that all day, and Hermes was beginning to think he was amiss on some kind joke floating around his immortal family. Every delivery stop since this morning, no matter who it was, would either start with them laughing at him or forcing themselves to look away as he handed them their delivery. Even George and Martha, whenever he was inside his chariot/truck, would look away from him.

He could have sworn he heard them laughing underneath their hisses.

Truth be told, he cared little about his companion's after his Spanish latte. He could still taste the delicious remnants of his drink on his lips. The Olympian almost crashed his chariot/truck when he brought it up to his mouth for the first. Not to mention, the lemon squares were heavenly that his eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head. Oh, he understood the appeal after his cup was empty and his bag of lemon squares became substantially lighter. It was damn good.

No. It was better than good. It was amazing. It was no wonder his sisters and the Love Goddess were taken with the little cafe the way they were. He would be going back in the future, and this time at a reasonable time.

_'It could be a good place to pick up beautiful women too!'_

Desiring nothing more than the rest he'd deservedly earned, he headed in the direction of his temple, located on the eastern side of Olympus. As he closed in on his home, Hermes spied a cloaked figure coming from the opposite direction. His smile grew, as the scent of toasted marshmallows and wood smoke dance around his nose and grew stronger the closer the figure got. There was only one person on Olympus who carried that delicious scent.

"Aunt Hestia!"

Hestia, the eldest of the Gods and the firstborn child of Kronos and Rhea, was as every bit as beautiful as her two younger sisters, carrying the sweet demeanour that earned her the love and respect from every resident on Olympus. Truthfully, she was desired by many on Olympus, and history had shown the suitors that offered themselves to her beauty. However, all were turned away, as Hestia remained true to her vow. Woe to any man who dared force themselves upon the Goddess of the Hearth, and would find themselves sent into the eternal darkness within Tartarus.

"Hello, Her-." Her voice broke halfway through his name, her eyes marginally widening, "Oh dear."

"Huh?"

"Hermes, dear." His Aunt's face softened, though a hint of annoyance laced her voice, "Have you been spending time with Ares again? Or did you run into Enyo?"

He shook his head, "Not recently. I just got home from deliveries." He hadn't seen Ares all week. The God of War had disappeared off into the mortal world with Aphrodite again, likely on one of their so-called getaways, and the pair likely wouldn't be back for another week or so. Enyo, on the other hand, hadn't been seen in years. His wayward older sister didn't visit much, primarily due to the estrangement between her and her parents.

"I see." Hermes watched as a mirror was conjured in his aunt's hand, "Have you looked in the mirror recently?"

Shaking his head, his aunt held the mirror up to his face, and Hermes couldn't stop his jaw from dropping.

_'What the hell!'_

A chocked gasp erupted from his body and caught himself leaning closer to the mirror, his hand reaching up and touching his forehead.

"Aunt Hestia.."

"Yes, Hermes?"

...

"..Why is there a penis drawn on my face?"

His aunt's smile never faltered, "I don't know Hermes. I was hoping you would fill me in. I'm equally as confused as you are." Hermes got a sense his good-natured aunt was trying her best not to laugh at his current predicament. The way the edges of her mouth twitched and the way her idle hand tugged at the hems of her sleeves were a telltale sign. It wasn't hard for the Olympian to determine who defaced his face. There was only one moment in the day where he could say he was unaware of his surroundings.

How had he not noticed! It was over twelve hours later! He'd been walking around with a penis drawn on his face the whole day! It was no wonder people couldn't keep a straight face when they saw him. Even Hestia looked ready to bust a gut in hysterics.

...

"That asshole barista did this to me!" The image of Naruto appeared in his mind, and Hermes couldn't stop his eyes from blazing with godly energy. No wonder he seemed in such a good mood when he woke up!

His aunt's eyebrows raised, "Barista?"

He threw his hands in the air, "The one Aphrodite keeps talking about." He stomped away, snapping his fingers and making the ink-drawn penis disappear from his forehead. "If he thinks he got one over on me, then he's got another thing coming. Doesn't he know who I am!" Rubbing his hands like a Disney villain, a devious glint appeared in his eyes, "Oh! The payback that's coming his way will be legendary. I practically invented mischief and pranks!"

The smile never faltered from Hestia, "I'm sure dear. Though I'm sure he meant no harm, so please go easy on the mortal. Nothing life-threatening, please," she asked, with an edge of authority laced in her words. Granted, the mortal had been rather ballsy to do such a thing to her immortal nephew, but he didn't deserve to die over it. Thankfully, Hermes was one of the more laid-back Gods on Olympus. If such a thing happened to Ares, or gods forbid Zeus, then she doubted the mortal would last another second. He'd be reduced to ash before he could blink.

"I won't do anything rash, Aunt Hestia. I'm just going to one-up him. That's all. I'm not that petty."

"Thank you, Hermes." Watching him walk away, Hestia spied the clothes on his back, before letting out a giggle as she covered her mouth. It appeared the face sketch had not been the only gift Hermes received. On the back of Hermes mailman uniform, the barista also added some extra patchwork to his mailman uniform. In this case, in bright orange letters, the words, '**J_UICY'_**, in all capitals, were sewn across his back, with an arrow pointing down to hew nephews posterior.

"I wonder how long it will be before he notices?' Hestia muttered to herself, watching her nephew march away before continuing down the path, the odd giggle escaping her lips throughout the rest of her day.

* * *

**Thanks for reading everyone.  
**

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought.**

**Once again, Happy New Year. **


	4. Part lV

**Thank you to all my readers for your kind words and comments. I can't thank you all enough. I went a little overboard with this chapter, but I hope you all enjoy. **

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity **

**Part lV**

"Okay, I've got three coffees for the three of you," Naruto spoke cheerfully, lowering his tray close to the table as he placed the three cups of steaming coffee next to his waiting customers. "I'm sorry for the wait. It's been a little hectic in here this past hour."

"That's okay. We don't mind!" The woman in the middle said, her dark brown eyes flickering between Naruto and the two other women on either side of her.. "It smells heavenly, doesn't it girls?"

"Absolutely!"

"It was worth the wait!"

His smile widened a fraction, and bowed his head to them, "You're very kind."

If he had to guess, the three young women sat around the table appeared to be sisters, possessing long dark hair and elfin-like features that only served to enhance their appearance. They attracted some attention from the other patrons, though they didn't appear to notice. Though the winter was reaching its end and its chill lingered in the air, all three were wearing dress tops that left their arms bare. Each was comprised of different shades of white, making Naruto shiver looking at them. He guessed some people didn't get affected by the cold as others did. He wished he was that lucky.

Moments before the three women came inside, the current of the wind strengthened for the briefest of moments. It was enough for the regular citizens of New York not to make heads or tails of it, but it was enough for him to take notice. Years of training on Mount Myoboku had sharpened his senses to an extreme level, to the point where he could sense nature chakra and related energy sources without the need to activate Sage Mode. The women, while nowhere near the level of particular individuals that visited the Fox's Den, he could sense were still stronger than the average human by a sizable amount. Not to mention when they walked into view of the store, he could have sworn their hair and the hems of their dress tops were dancing in the air.

Like the others, he saw no reason to keep them away. As long as they didn't start any funny business, then they were welcome any time.

"Now, I've got two slices of the Russian Honey Biscuit Cake," He lowered the plates down, and felt a bubble of excitement as the two women on the left and right made dreamy expressions as they gazed at their orders. Their forks found their way into their hands like magic, and were eagerly digging in before he could lower the third plate onto the table, "And one Sticky Toffee Pudding." A similar look arose of the middle woman and saw her mouth silent words to herself. "If you need anything else, you know where to find me."

"We certainly will," She muttered, slipping a piece into her mouth and letting out a sigh of pleasure. The two next to her erupted into a fit of giggles, with the blonde leaving them to enjoy their orders.

Truth be told, as he wandered back to the counter, he'd noticed more and more similar individuals and groups like the three women appearing as of late. It had been happening over the last couple of weeks, during sporadic times in the day. He'd felt something off about them all as soon as they appeared close to the Den, though he sensed differences with the energy and lifeforce that coursed through their veins.

Some were like the women currently in a daze with their cake orders, where the natural energy within them felt air-based. Others that came felt more connected to the earth, more traditional energy much like when he manipulated senjutsu. In the back of his mind, the energy reminded him of the Zetsu clones created from the First Hokage's cells, though with none of the malevolent intent or evil nature. All he felt was positivity radiating from them, and all had a tinge of green to their skin that only he noticed. Though, not that he let on. Then there was the small group a few days ago with energy that radiated like the sea, with a distinct smell of the ocean and the beaches lingering on their person.

More often then not, they were all beautiful, all possessing the elfin appearances he became accustomed too when greeting and serving them. Ninety per cent of the time, they were women, though occasionally, a male or two appeared through his doors. It started with an individual, or a pair visiting each day, but soon the Fox's Den was becoming a hotspot for the elfin beauties. Each day, more and more seemed to be appearing.

If he was honest, Naruto never imagined the Fox's Den would become a hotspot for nymphs of all things. It took him a couple of visits to realise what they were. If he had to put money on it, then the three women sat around the table currently must have been Air Nymphs, if what he felt was any indication. The number of encounters he'd had with nymphs weren't many and were sporadic over the years. Thinking back on it, the last time he saw a nymph was over three hundred years ago, somewhere in Europe. Germany if he remembered right, or possibly France.

With a moment of peace and everyone inside happy with their orders, the blonde grabbed a spare tray and started moving around the tables, collecting up the finished plates and cups. Thanks to the first three months being a success, Naruto chose to make a few changes in the kitchen, namely to make the working hours for his clones a little easier. His clones had been a godsend, and if not for them, his menu for the Den would have been a fraction of what he offered, especially when it came to the cakes and desserts. So, he installed a commercial dishwasher and glasswasher, instead of cleaning them all by hand by the sinks. So far, it had made a world of difference. It was always funny to see how the smallest of things could make all the difference in the workplace.

He was halfway around the room making his rounds, his tray stacked high with plates and cups when he found himself freezing in place. His eyes flickered up to the entrance of the Den, hovering over the door. Slowly, he journeyed back to the front after dropping the tray off in the kitchen, handing it off to a clone who looked at him with a serious expression. Every clone behind him had stopped, each wearing a similar look on their faces.

_'They felt it too.' _

It was another energy signature. However, this one was vastly different from the nymphs that occupied his tables. He didn't sense any attachment to the air, or the earth, or the sea. It was darker in-nature and made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

In short, the energy felt like death.

Looking across the room, the trio of nymphs had sensed the oncoming power as well, if the way their bodies stiffened. Their eyes were wide as dinner plates, expressions stuck in a mask of fear and terror. No one else in the room appeared to be effected, though he had no time to determine how or why when the bell over the doorway jingled, a waft of cold air entering the room as a body walked inside.

The person in question was male, standing around the same height as himself with skin the colour of teakwood. His eyes were a haunting shade of gold, like the honey he offered to his customers with their tea and coffee. Long black hair flowed past his shoulders, like a curtain of shadows that covered part of his regal and king-like face. He was dressed immaculately, wearing a suit that made the Hollywood stars from the tv look inadequate in comparison. Across the room, as he made his way towards the counter, some of his female customers took notice. If the blushes appearing on their faces were any indication, they found the man very attractive. When he got to the counter, Naruto noticed the man looking around the room, not giving anything away with his expressionless face.

The man-made him feel a little on edge, though outwardly he didn't show it. Anyone that gave off a sense of death needed to be closely watched, especially around so many civilians who were none the wiser. He looked at the three nymphs out of the corner of his eye, though noticed the man briefly look their way as well. All three visibly gulped, and to Naruto's surprise, gave the man a short curtsy, despite being sat down.

_'Just who is this guy?'_ He thought, before putting on a smile.

"Welcome to the Fox's Den," Naruto welcomed, ending the silence and catching the man's attention. As he did with every customer, he took out a menu and offered it to the finely dressed man. However, unlike everyone else that walked through his doors, the man didn't take the menu. Instead, he stared at Naruto, then looked in the glass cabinet where many of the Den's cakes were presented to the public, and then back at the blonde.

"Are you the owner of this establishment?" His voice was rich and velvety. It was so smooth the blonde could picture the voice belonging in a blue's club, making the women swoon and sway with his velvety tunes.

"I am. Is there something I can help you with?"

The man nodded, lacing his fingers together and placing them on top of the counter. "You can. My name is Mr Black. I'm here representing a...client if you will, who wishes to privately book your establishment out for an afternoon."

Naruto's eyebrows raised in surprise. This was a first.

"Really?" Truthfully, he hadn't looked into the idea of customers privately renting the space out for an afternoon, or an evening.

"Really," The man nodded, his face remaining impassive as honey-gold met blue, "My...client, has caught wind of your establishment and heard the glowing reviews from members of her family that have already visited. Her interest has peaked because of it, and she wishes to visit you to see if the word of mouth is true."

The blonde nodded, though he adopted a confused look, "Well that's great and all, but why does she need to rent out the entire place? Can't she visit during my regular days? The list when we're open is displayed on the window on the right as you enter."

"Unfortunately not, due to certain time constraints." The man known as Mr Black answered back immediately as if expecting the question. "My...client is a busy woman, who has important duties and responsibilities that she must see too, around these months in particular." The man shifted his stance, reaching into his pocket and pulled a cheque. "Her current place of work can be rather...time consuming."

Rubbing the back of his head, Naruto guessed he could understand the reasoning, though renting it out for one person seemed a bit much. Who was this person anyway? Some kind of CEO of some big-time corporation? Or maybe some visiting princess, or queen? He was sure he didn't have any royalty visit his little cafe yet. At least, none that he knew of anyway. Not to mention, if this guy who sensed like death was working for someone, did that mean the woman he was referring too also carried around the same kind of feeling?

Humming to himself, and tapping his fingers against the counter, Mr Black patiently waited for Naruto to speak.

"So...it's one person renting the place out? Am I getting that right? I'll be catering to one person if I accept?"

"Two."

"Two?"

"Her husband will be coming with her."

The blonde sighed as the picture forming in his mind became clearer. "Okay, I guess that makes sense. They want a private space to enjoy their meal?"

"That's correct."

Motioning for his visitor to wait one moment, the blonde disappeared into the back room. Before long, he returned, this time with a red book in his hands, revealed to be a business diary. "It shouldn't be too much of an issue, so long as they give me some time to warn my other customers. This is the first time I've done something like this since I opened." Taking out a pen from beneath the counter, he held it ready in his hand. "Did your client have a date in mind?"

"She did. She would like the 14th of February."

"The 14th o-," Naruto started, beginning to flick through the pages before stopping a moment later. He gave the man a deadpan stare, "The 14th of February?"

"That's right."

"So...Valentines Day."

"Once again, that is correct."

Putting down his pen, Naruto gave the so-called Mr Black a sceptical look. This guy couldn't be serious, could he? "Let me get this straight. Your client, wants to privately book out my cafe for an afternoon on Valentines Day of all days? One of the potentially busiest days of the year for someone like me? Which also happens to be tomorrow!?"

The blonde shinobi felt like wringing the guy's neck when he nodded. "That's right. Hence, why I was given this." He held up the hand with the cheque still resting in his grasp and placed it down on the counter. "My client is the understanding kind, and to compensate you for your time and willingness to accept under short notice, I was permitted to offer you a blank cheque."

Naruto blinked in surprise and tilted his head when he stared down at the cheque. True to Mr Black's words, the part of the cheque that displayed the amount of money was blank of any writing, while a very neatly written signature was present in the bottom corner.

"Your client is serious about this, huh?"

"She is. She is a lady of taste and is not the type who visits the average establishment. For her to come to your business and bring her husband with her is a great honour." The blonde noticed the way the smartly dressed man enforced the last part of his sentence.

"So, I can write any amount on here?" The man nodded, so he further asked, "I could write down something like one million dollars and that wouldn't be an issue?"

Watching Mr Black closely, the man pushed a lock of stray hair out of his face, his gold eyes boring into his own with something akin to amusement, "Mr...Uzumaki?" Naruto nodded, and let the man continue, "All I will say is that money is of no issue to my clients. Name your price, and I shall inform my client you will be expecting them tomorrow without delay."

The blonde shinobi couldn't help but whistle, both in amazement and amusement. Whoever they were, they must have pockets that ran deep into the earth if they could throw around words like that. Rubbing his chin as he let the information sink in, he ignored Mr Black's expressionless stare as the man waited for a response. The blonde shinobi of old wasn't worried when it came to money. Not in the slightest. Over the years of his existence, Naruto had done the smart thing and kept a little nest egg to the side that over time began to grow and grow. It was the side effects of becoming a responsible adult.

When his decision to come to New York and set up shop was decided, he dipped into that nest egg and got everything he would need with it. His home. The Fox's Den. All the appliances, and furniture. Not to mention all his ingredients. If he was honest, when everything was added up, it hadn't broken the tip of the iceberg of the fortune he was sitting on. He rarely touched it and had it all hidden away in a location only he was aware of. Everything he made from the Fox's Den went into a bank account he set up before arriving. He couldn't look too suspicious.

_'Then again, I am running a business and that's a whole afternoon of revenue not coming my way. A million is too much, even if their pockets are too deep to make sense of.'_ He didn't want to appear too greedy, but if they were offering a chance to fill his wallet then why not. He wouldn't go too overboard.

"Ten thousand dollars and you have yourself a deal." Seemed like a fair ask.

Hiding his surprise, he watched as Mr Black didn't bat an eyelash and pulled out a fancy looking Montblanc fountain pen from his inside pocket. _'Is that made of real gold? How fancy are these people?' _Scribbling the amount on the cheque, Mr Black looked him dead in the eye, the cheque being offered to the blonde barista.

Taking it and giving it a once over, Naruto smirked at Mr Black, "I hope this doesn't bounce." That would be embarrassing after everything the man just told him.

Mr Black didn't react He remained completely stoneface as he replied, "Trust me, Mr Uzumaki, it won't."

"If you say so." Glancing at the name written on the cheque, he rose an eyebrow, "Mrs P. Underhill? Might I enquire what her first name is? I like to know the names of the people who's money I'm taking."

Rolling his neck, a distinct pop made the mysterious Mr Black sigh in comfort before answering, "You'll get your answers tomorrow. Until then, all you need to know is that my clients will arrive tomorrow at 4 pm. How long they will stay for, I don't know. However, I recommend that you prepare thoroughly. Mrs Underhill is known to be demanding if the gossip she's heard about your food is anything to go by." He leaned in, with Naruto reacting by doing the same, "She has a sweet tooth that puts many to shame, though can be picky. She has high expectations."

"Is that right?" Naruto rubbed his chin, a thoughtful expression sweeping over him. If she had high expectations, then he would need to pull a few rabbits out of his hat. As confident as he was that his menu would knock their socks off, he could prepare some specials dishes for his guests. If they were willing to part with ten thousand dollars, then he was going to give them their money's worth. A couple of ideas were floating around. He could have a lot of fun with this. He had a few dishes in the pipeline he could test out tomorrow. "Are there any dietary restrictions I should know about?"

"None."

"Any preferences I should know about?"

Again, Mr Black shook his head. Well, that made things easy.

"Alright then. In that case, you have yourself a deal." The blonde extended his hand to the man, "Tell Mr and Mrs Underhill I'll have some specials whipped up just for them. I'll make sure they get their money's worth."

It took a few moments of silence before Mr Black reciprocated. The man had a firm handshake, and Naruto couldn't help noticing how cold the man's hands were. They felt like ice cubes. "I'll pass on the message."

Nodding, the blonde pocketed the cheque. Before the man left, he spoke up again, "Can I get you anything before you go?"

Mr Black was prepared to turn around and leave at a moments notice, but he couldn't deny the smell radiating from the Fox's Den was heavenly. He looked across the room, ignoring the shivering forms of the nymphs, and looks at what some of the mortals were eating and drinking. He hadn't visited a cafe in the mortal world in decades. His eyes flickered to the cabinet with the cakes, zeroing in on the chocolate cake to the far left.

His tongue licked the edge of his mouth. _'That looks good.' _

Straightening his tie, his voice was low, almost a whisper, "I'll take a slice of the Chocolate cake to go, and a regular coffee with no sugar."

"Coming right up!"

* * *

** Valentines Day**

"My dear, you can't be serious," Hades muttered, his voice low as his dark eyes took in the orange frame that wrapped around the front of the building. He'd never seen something so hideous and deliberate in centuries. It was like a monstrous beacon of colour, and far too bright for his rich taste. Being in an environment where the brightest colours were the glowing crimsons and dark yellows that emanated from the rivers of lava that ran through the underworld, he could say that if he ever found something that sickly shade of orange anywhere near his home, he would send it deep into Tartarus. It would never see the light of day again if he had his way. "Who in their right mind would paint the front of their business orange?"

Standing on his left, his wife of nearly five thousand years stood in all her outstanding beauty and glory, an array of shopping bags of all shapes and sizes in her grasp. Persephone was as beautiful as the day he first laid eyes on her, more so then that pesky Love Goddess in his opinion. The shining flower of the Underworld, her very presence brought out a side of the eldest son of Kronos that few would get to see. When it was time to separate and her time came to return to Olympus, it was like the joy and happiness she brought with her would evaporate, leaving nothing but his dark thoughts and the ever-present wails of those within the Fields of Punishment.

He felt his wife lean into him, the top of her head barely coming up to his shoulder. Even wearing those ludicrous heeled boots she chose to wear on their outings into the mortal world, he towered over her as he did with most people. He didn't show it, but he was disappointed she wasn't wearing the black dress she frequently wore whilst in the Underworld. The one that billowed around her body like smoke, and gave off an aura of mystery. Millenia on from the day they married and his wife was still capable of making his godly ichor boil with desire.

"Don't be a bore, Hades. There's nothing wrong with adding a splash of colour to an otherwise dull pallet."

A snort came out of Hades, "Persephone, a splash of colour is painting a window frame red, or a letterbox a shade of blue. A splash of colour is not painting the outside of the building the most hideous shade of orange imaginable."

"Be that at it may, I like it."

"You would like it."

"Are you doubting my tastes?"

"Never, my dear. I'm merely showing how different our colour preferences are."

Dressed in one of his finest suits for their day in the mortal world, the God of the Underworld hadn't been able to hide his scepticism when his wife informed him of their plans for Valentines Day. If the elder god was honest, he didn't see the point in Valentine's day. It was a silly little mortal holiday that used that dreadful son of Aphrodite and Ares as the mascot. The Love Goddess was bad enough on the rare occasion that he came into contact with her, but her son was equally as bad. The only difference between them was Aphrodite knew where the line was when it came to her Olympian Family. Eros, on the other hand, had a habit of forgetting the line existed.

Being one of the few gods who could strike genuine fear into the hearts of an Olympian like Zeus, Demeter and Hera thanks to the powers endowed to him by Aphrodite, Hades always kept one eye open should he discover Eros was nearby and in the neighbourhood. Those love enforced arrows of his could do more harm than good. By some divine miracle, the son of Aphrodite knew better than to pick a fight with him, though he couldn't deny a piece of him wished the little pigeon-winged cherub would give it a try.

Oh, the satisfaction he would get from beating that little annoyance into Tartarus would be legendary.

Back to the point of Valentines Day, Hades didn't understand why he needed to show his wife how much he loved her on this one particular day. During the six months of the year that Persephone was in his embrace, he tried to show her every day how much he loved her. Granted, there were missteps along the way and their time together had been a learning experience for both of them, his undeserving black heart did love his Queen and wife to Tartarus and back. He didn't need a silly holiday to show it in excess.

"Well, shall we go in?" Persephone asked, her watery gold eyes silently motioning to the front door and unaware of his thoughts.

Sighing, the God of the Underworld knew there was no getting around it. "Very well."

Persephone puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, "You could try and sound enthusiastic."

"That was me being enthusiastic." His response only served to get a groan out of his wife.

Crossing his arms over his chest, his dark pupils flickered to the corner of his eyes, looking in the direction of the Empire State Building. A heavy scowl marred his face, and one of his hand tightened into a fist. Although the mist-shrouded Olympus from the sight of the Mortals, Hades could feel it's presence lingering over the famous skyscraper. The home of the Greek Pantheon has never been a home to him, nor did it welcome him like it did the rest of his family.

Being near its doorstep, it never failed to stir up old and bitter feelings. His so-called family were the ones who made him into the person he was, keeping him at a distance at all times and never trusting him the same way after the Titanomachy. His temple should have been on Olympus, just as his brothers and sisters were built on its surface. Hell, Poseidon had one on Olympus **_and_** within Atlantis. There was no telling how many that dunderhead, Zeus had. The point was, he helped build Olympus into what it was, and should have been recognised for that like the rest of them.

Why couldn't they have gone to another city?

Before Hades could let his thoughts begin running away, the petite and smooth hand of his wife laced through his fingers. The contact was enough to halt those thoughts. "Stop thinking about them."

"I wasn't." He didn't fight her grip as she pried his hand away from his crossed arms.

"Yes, you were." A pang of sympathy ran through Persephone's chest. The Goddess of Spring had learned the telltale signs of her husband over the millennia. She knew something was bothering him like a pit in her stomach. "I know you don't like being so close to Olympus and it stirs up old feelings and grudges, but we've had a nice day out so far, haven't we?" It took a moment, but Hades gave a short nod, "Good, I'm glad. Let's not spoil it with ill feelings."

His expression softened, "It's not that I haven't enjoyed our time today. I have enjoyed it, I promise," He gave her hand a light squeeze, and felt the corners of his mouth twitch up when she smiled at the gesture. "I don't see why we couldn't have gone somewhere else. California? Boston? Even Miami would have been a welcome change. The essence of my siblings and Zeus's ilk can be sensed all across New York. I'm surprised we haven't run into one of them yet."

A sigh escaping her lips, Persephone dropped her bags and laced her arms around her husband's neck. The gesture was enough to feel Hades lean his body into her, embracing in the warmth she provided. Despite the size difference in their appearance, the Queen of the Underworld proved she was stronger then she looked. "Today is all about us. Don't make it about them."

Hades stayed silent for a couple of moments, letting her words sink in. "I know, and I'll try."

"That's all I ask." Standing on her tiptoes, Persephone laid a gentle kiss on her husband's pale cheek, "Put them out of your mind and enjoy this place with me. I've heard great things about it. Even Thanatos told me how much he enjoyed the food here. The crumbs from his chocolate cake were still on the corner of his lips when he came to confirm the reservation."

"I guess if Thanatos enjoyed it, then it's worth a try," Hades admitted. Like most of the gods and goddess of his ever-expanding godly family, his lieutenant was a picky eater, and like himself, had a rich taste when it came to mortal cuisine. If Thanatos enjoyed what he ate, then it couldn't have been awful.

Though, he was still sceptical about the kind of man that painted part of a building orange.

"Lead the way, my love."

Persephone beamed at Hades, the twitching of his lips strengthing until a small smile graced his often scowling face. Pushing the door open, the sound of the bell rang as they entered. Like their fellow immortals, a wave of warmth shrouded over them, and Hades watched as his wife visibly relaxed and together they took in the room. The rich smell of coffee laced the air, reminding him of the mornings his wife would wake him up with his favourite blend of coffee. The room was bigger then either of them expected, with tables and chairs pushed to each side, with one singular table with two chairs sat in the middle of the room.

"You must be the Underhills."

Both sets of eyes gazed over to the counter, where the patiently waiting owner was stood.

_'The Underhills?'_ Hades thought, rolling his eyes at the surname Persephone had given them. His wife loved coming up with new alias's for them during matters like this.

Walking out from behind the counter, Naruto extended his hand to Hades, a pleasant smile on his face as he greeted the pair of immortals. "My names Naruto Uzumaki, the owner of the Fox's Den. First things first, I would like to thank you for taking an interest in my humble establishment. When your representative came by yesterday, I hardly believed it. I thought he was joking at first, but I can see he was telling the truth. It's nice to meet you both."

Shaking his hand, Hades noted the firm grip the blonde gave him and felt his wife step forward and offer her hand. Instead of shaking her hand though, Naruto gently took her hand into his own and placed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. The act was enough for Persephone to widen her smile. She liked a mortal with manners.

_'He's very easy on the eyes too,'_ Persephone thought. _'A handsome face, and a very nice body if the way his clothes tighten on his body is any indication.'  
_

She was no Aphrodite, but she could window shop from time to time.

"You're most welcome, and I'm happy you accepted my offer. I'm sorry for the short notice, but the news doesn't tend to travel to our neck of the woods until much later, though I've heard nothing but good things about this place." If he had told Thanatos no, then Persephone planned on having him wrapped up in the mist and make it happen either way. "I'm Penelope Underhill, and this is my husband, Hank Underhill."

Persephone promptly ignored the look her husband was giving her.

"Well, come over and take a seat." Reaching behind the counter, he pulled out two menu's and offered them to the pair of gods. "Make yourself comfortable, and I'll give you a couple of minutes to look at the menu." He motioned to their table, "Also, just so you're aware, I've got some specials of the day prepared for you both. Think of it as my way of ensuring you get your money's worth today. I'll read them out when I take your orders."

"Thank you, that sounds delightful," Persephone replied, the excitement brimming as she wondered what Naruto had prepared for them. Gently, she pulled her husband to their table, with the God of the Underworld glancing at Naruto from the corner of his eyes. Making themselves comfortable and discarding her coat, Persephone eyed her husband, "So? What do you think so far?"

The God of the Underworld took notice of the excitement in his wife's voice. She looked at him expectantly, "Without trying anything on the menu, I can't make any judgement yet." When his wife scowled at him, he internally sighed and made a change to his answer, "It appears adequate. The place has a nice atmosphere. The rich smell of coffee is pleasing, I'll admit."

As suspected, her face made a one-eighty. "I knew you'd like it." The Goddess of Spring sounded very pleased with herself. "There's so much to choose from in here. I'm not sure where to start."

"The beginning would suffice." A kick to his shin beneath the table forced him to grunt.

"Don't be sarcastic, my love. It's unbecoming of you." Persephone remained focused on the menu, a content smile plastered on her face. Hades could see her eyes at work, taking in all her options. "I wonder what specials he made for us. It's all very intriguing."

"I find myself curious also," Hades replied. An annoyed expression wormed its way onto his face, "Was Hank the best you could think of?"

"It's a nice name. It's a traditional name in the mortal world." The goddess glanced up, "Is there something wrong with my choice?"

"Nothing, but I don't see why we can't use our real names."

"Because no self-respecting mortal woman would name their child after the God of the Underworld. Name one mortal carrying your name, and we can go home right now." When he didn't speak, Persephone's smile gained a satisfaction to it, "I rest my case. Now, less brooding and more choosing. Understood?"

Remaining silent, Hades opened the menu up and let his dark eyes scan over the contents. He would let Persephone have her fun. His wife did appear excited during their shopping spree earlier in the afternoon.

"There appears to be something for everything in here," He mumbled, his hand coming up to sweep his oily black hair back. "He must go through ingredients like their going out of fashion if he offers everything he says he does. He must be doing well to afford it." As the richest member of his Olympian family, call him curious if he wondered how a mortal could afford such a massive selection. Most places he was aware of didn't provide a third of what the blonde owner was offering to his clientele. Did he make everything that was listed on the menu? If not, then he must have dozens of suppliers in the pipeline. His cash flow must be a constant wave.

He couldn't help with the way he thought. As the God of Riches, it sparked his curiosity. _'Focus, Hades. Pick something before your wife calls you out on it.'_

While Hades was busy mulling over his thoughts, Persephone was busy biting the corners of her mouth. She couldn't decide what she wanted. Everything sounded so good.

_'Where to start?'_

If it wasn't for word getting to her by Hermes, who was delivering a package to Hecate in her residence within the Underworld, then she wouldn't have heard a peep about the Fox's Den. News tended to reach the Underworld slower than most, though when she asked why she hadn't heard about such a place existing sooner, she noticed Hermes begin to shuffle around uncomfortably. Surely, any place that attracted the attention of multiple Olympians was worth hearing about.

Despite not being an Olympian, being one of the eldest children of Zeus, as well as the Queen of the Underworld had its perks. Suffice to say, it took five minutes before she had Hermes spilling out all the gossip on Olympus. Her time in the Underworld had provided her with many a means to get the information out of her unwilling hostage. By the time she let her little brother free, Persephone was internally seething. Cracks formed on the marble floor of her husband's palace as she marched back to her chambers.

That damn Aphrodite!'

Oh, she knew the Love Goddess could be petty but she was asking for it now. Aphrodite had done everything in her power to keep the information from getting to the Queen of the Underworld, and Persephone knew why. Their little rivalry that started with Adonis all those years ago continued to plague them to this day and only worsened as time went on. The two goddesses used to be good friends, but these days after the Adonis incident, their relationship never recovered. The two were always trying to one-up each other in a variety of ways, to the point that the other gods would simply bypass them. The stunts they pulled on each other were legendary.

However, when one of her mother's servants informed her by Iris message that the Love Goddess planned to visit and spend the evening at the Fox's Den with the owner's scrumptious treats, the Goddess of Spring couldn't help but throw a wrench in her plans. Valentine's Day was a big day for Aphrodite, and Persephone couldn't help but grin at the satisfaction of denying the Love Goddess of what she desired. Even if it was for only one day. She couldn't sense the Love Goddesses' essence anywhere near the Fox's Den, which meant she hadn't stopped by yet.

The look on her face would be priceless.

When five minutes passed, the two gods felt their host appear next to them, his notebook and pen in hand as he gave them a polite smile. "So, before I take your orders, would you like me to read out the specials for you?" The blonde looked pleased with himself.

"Yes, please," Persephone replied, followed by a nod from Hades. She couldn't wait!

"Well," Naruto started, "For this special day, I have arranged three different dishes for you, all of which were freshly baked earlier today. The first of which is a Grapefruit Curd Tart with Chamomile Whipped Cream." Persephone's eye's lit up, followed by an audible intake of air, "The second is a fig almond tea cake with a coconut-honey glaze. Finally, since it's Valentines Day I thought the third option should be something related to the subject of Love, so I prepared a Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Neopolitan Cake."

Hades hummed as he leaned back in his chair. The God of the Underworld wouldn't admit it out loud, but the choices laid out to them sounded very appetizing. If the mortal prepared such dishes for them, and if he liked them, he would be willing to leave a generous tip for the man, despite the money already provided. Despite his reputation, Hades commended hard work and dedication. Looking at his wife, Persephone was practically bouncing in her chair, her eyes lit up like fireworks.

If the dishes were half as good as the gossip suggested, then Persephone contemplated dragging the man to the Underworld and having him set up shop just for her. She had a spot in mind next to her famous garden. That way, she and her husband could have their orders brought to them on the Veranda overlooking the Fields of Asphodel. Her fellow goddesses might not be happy with the change in location and it meant they would have to gain her husband's permission to enter his realm if they wanted to visit.

Seeing his wife's excitement, he snapped his menu shut and looked his wife square in the eye, "In that case, we'll take all three. My wife and I will share a plate of each of your specials between us."

Naruto nodded and wrote it down on his notepad. His smile widened when he saw Persephone reach over the table and take her husband's free hand into her own. A tiny smile grew on the face of Hades and winked in his wife's direction. It was beautiful to see how in love the pair were with each other. He got the feeling the husband was the type who would go to the moon and back if it made his wife happy.

"You guys are a sweet couple."

"That's kind of you to say," Persephone replied, her thumb tracing against her husband's pale skin, "He can be as stubborn as a mule when he wants to be, and moodier than a bull seeing red, but deep down my hubby is a softy. Not enough people are lucky enough to see that side of him, but I do." She gave her husband a reassuring squeeze. "It hasn't been easy, but we've been married for a long time and overcome obstacles that would cause most to call it quits. I hope he knows how much I have come to love him."

The God of the Underworlds expression softened further,_ 'He does.'_

"You're lucky to have each other," Naruto replied, his gaze turning and staring out the window at the people walking the pavement across the road, "Most people these days don't seem to understand how precious marriage is, especially when the right person comes along. It provides an opportunity to grow in selflessness as you serve your wife, or husband, and any children that come from the union. It's more than a physical union; it is also a spiritual and emotional union."

Both immortals looked at him with mild surprise. They both looked into his blue eyes and noticed a sadness within them.

"Any kids?"

Both nodded, "A daughter," Hades quietly replied, still looking up at the blonde owner with an inquisitive stare.

"That's nice."

"Are you married?" The question came from Persephone. Right before her eyes, she noticed a momentary shift happen with the blonde owner. Like a door had been cracked open, followed by a wave of sadness briefly resonating from his person, and his face gaining a faraway look as a sad smile took over. Persephone almost wished she hadn't asked.

"Widowed."

"Oh," Her voice was quiet, "I'm sorry." She hadn't intended to stir up old feelings. To be so young and already a widow must have been difficult. He looked barely out of his twenties.

It took a few silent moments before the blonde shook off the sadness, his smile returning to normal and waving a hand in the air, "Don't be. It was a long time ago. Seeing you both together reminds me of my time with my wife, and how I wish we had longer together. I miss her, dearly." He brought his notepad and pen back up, "Now, let's keep going with your orders, shall we? What would you both like to drink?"

Oh, that's right. They still had their drinks to order!

Releasing her husband's hands, Persephone had a skim through the menu one last time before she confidently knew what she wanted, "I would love one of your Coconut and Vanilla Cappucino's, please. It sounds delicious."

Nodding his head, Naruto turned to Hades, "Could you serve anything a little...stronger?" Hades asked. The hot drinks offered on the menu sounded good, but the elder god had a desire for something with an extra something in them.

"Stronger? In what way?"

"Say with a little extra kick?" Hades put some emphasis on the last part and Persephone watched as an understanding occurred between the two men.

Tapping his chin with his pen, Naruto made a humming sound, "I get you. Normally, I wouldn't serve any alcohol in my drinks, which is why I haven't put any on the menu. Although, I could make an exception given the private setting. Did you have something in mind?"

"Perhaps an Irish coffee? Would that be out of the question?"

A half-grin stretched onto Naruto's face, "I think you might be in luck." Naruto gave an appraising look, "I like your style, Hank Underhill." Hades nodded in the blonde's direction, saying nothing about the alias, "It will take a bit longer to prepare so I hope you don't mind the wait."

"That's fine."

The rulers of the Underworld watched the blonde disappear and get their orders ready, leaving the pair to rejoin their hands across the table.

"He seems nice."

"He's alright," Hades replied, "For a mortal anyway."

Persephone leaned her free elbow on the table, and placed her head in her palm, "We should bring Melinoe with us next time. That girl doesn't leave the Underworld enough. Although," She rubbed tiny circles in the back of her husband's hand, "It might have to wait until the Fall. I'll be returning to Olympus in a few weeks. Maybe we can plan an outing for the three of us when I return in the Fall?"

A grunt came out of Hades mouth. He wasn't against the idea. He just didn't like hearing his wife speak about their upcoming separation for six months.

"Don't be like that. It will give us something to look forward too when I return in the Autumn season."

"I'd like it better if you stayed with me all year round." Hades spat bitterly, "If it wasn't for that overbearing idiot I'm forced to call my sister throwing a tantrum then you would be with me always." To this day after millennia had passed, the relationship with Demeter only worsened over time. The Goddess of the Harvest and the Seasons couldn't accept that Persephone could love someone like him. If Demeter had her way, which at one point she did, then she would lock her daughter away in a secret location only known to her, and barred anyone else from their family from ever seeing her. Demeter took the term mother knows best to an extreme level, and he knew how frustrated Persephone could get with the woman who tried to control every aspect of her life.

"You're doing it again, my love." A knowing look crossed over her face before the goddess stood up from her seat. Never breaking the hold on her husband's hand, Persephone guided her chair around the table and sat next to him. "You can't help yourself with forcing negative feelings to filter into your mind, can you? What am I going to do with you?"

"You could stay with me, and tell Demeter to fuck off back to the nearest wheat field." He replied, though regretted it when Persephone picked up a spoon and bobbed him on the forehead with it. "Ow."

"You might not like her, but she is still my mother, no matter how overbearing she can be. It comes from a place of love." Leaning back in her chair, she crossed one leg over the other, "If you're a good husband for the rest of today, and you don't allow any more negative thoughts to filter their way in, I might consider treating you later."

"Treating me?" Reaching next to the table, Persephone pulled up one of her many shopping bags and gave it a shake in the air.

"While you were busy ogling one of the store's clerks chest," She gave him a brief look, making Hades have the decency to gulp. He thought he'd been more discreet, "I went and got a little something from the lingerie department. I thought I could wear it tonight."

"T-The lingerie department?"

Humming in confirmation, a coy smirk wove its way onto her face, "Would you like me to wear them for you tonight? It comes with this little piece that leaves little to the imagination." Hands still together, Persephone could almost feel her husbands godly ichor begin to heat up at the thought. "Would you like that, my love?"

"Very much so." He'd be a fool not to follow her orders.

"Good. Then no more negative thoughts and you might get to see it later."

"Very well, my Queen."

Small talk broke out between the pair, time passing quicker than either realised. Before long, Naruto returned to their table, smiling at the fact Persephone was sat beside her husband, and started by lowering their drinks onto the table. Both looked impressed with their drinks, noticing no spillage on the side of the cups nor on the tiny plates they were settled on. The Goddess of Spring could smell the coconut radiating from her drink, and let out a hum of delight the second her drink touched her lips. It was delicious! The coconut and the vanilla could be tasted evenly, and neither overpowered the other. It was perfectly balanced.

"Oh, that's amazing."

She sunk into her husband's side without noticing Hades was still staring down at his drink. It looked good, and the smell of his Irish coffee was heavenly on his sense of smell. Though, he would admit the heart that the blonde owner had decorated on the foam of his drink put him off._ 'Don't think about it. Just enjoy it, and you'll be rewarded when you get home.'_

He was getting his treat!

Bringing his drink up to his mouth, Hades found himself pleasantly surprised. It was good. No, it was better than good. It was incredible. It was so good, that Hades checked whether any nector had been added into the mix. It smelled like freshly baked cookies and tasted like dried fruits, orange peels and baking spices. It was light in body but packed a powerful punch.

"What whiskey did you use?"

"Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey," Naruto replied, "I keep a bottle in the office. Sometimes after I close up for the evening, I'll take a glass with me while I clean up. I'm not much of a drinker, but I like a whiskey from time to time."

Hades nodded, and offered his wife a sip of his drink, and appeared pleased when her mouth made a tiny o shape after taking a swig. "It's good, huh?"

"It's very good."

The pair didn't wait long, and moments later, both were rendered awestruck as the plates of food were presented to them. Though for Hades, awestruck was his eyebrows lifting, and his jaw hanging open a minuscule amount. Still, to get the reaction from the God of the Underworld was a praiseworthy feat. The moody god rarely showed emotion in front of mortals. Persephone though was much more vocal, and let it be known.

"Oh! My! Goodness!" She clapped her hands together, her tastebuds salivating the longer she stared at the dishes. All three of their orders appeared baked to perfection and were beautifully decorated. "This is beyond what I imagined!"

"Thank you for saying so," Naruto replied, "I hope you enjoy your orders. If there will be anything else, let me know. I'll be stationed by the counter." The blonde gave a short bow out of courtesy and left the mesmerised couple alone to enjoy their meals. Pulling out a book from the counter, he crossed a leg over his knee and sat comfortably as the two immortals enjoyed their orders.

"Thank you very much," Persephone whispered, her eyes never leaving the three plates. She didn't know where to start. All three looked so appealing she was having a crisis just deciding where to begin. "They look so good, but I don't know if I want to spoil the way they look. They're beautiful to look at."

Hades looked at his wife and recognised the excitement rushing through her. Her face was mesmerised, and he couldn't blame her. Their food looked like something Hestia, or his mother would create. This mortal was full of surprises. Licking the edge of his lips, Hades picked up the nearest fork and took a piece from the Grapefruit Tart. He planned on going from left to right. He heard Persephone gasp as if his action was unwarranted before she mimicking his actions.

On the count of three, both brought their pieces up to their mouths, chewed for a couple of seconds, and promptly fell back into their chairs. Both their eyes glazed over in delight, their shoulders slumping in comfort, and their breathing syncronising. Neither could have prepared for the onslaught of flavour that assaulted their tastebuds.

"Holy Gods above. This is the best thing I've ever tasted in my life." Persephone muttered, "Nothing even comes close! I'm sorry my love, but I think Hestia and your Mother no longer hold the top spot anymore." She wasn't kidding. Gods and Immortals were notoriously hard to please, in almost every way one could imagine. For a mortal to be talented enough to render herself in such a state with food was unfathomable. "My Love? Are you okay?"

The Goddess of Spring waited a few moments before she got a response, only it wasn't the response she imagined. Instead of words coming out of her husband's mouth, it was a long and drawn-out moan of pure delight erupting from her husband's mouth. It was guttural like the sound was coming from his very soul.

_'Oh my.' _

By the counter, Naruto didn't even look up from his book. He merely shook his head and continued to read.

Persephone said nothing, nor did Hades react to the sight of his wife staring at him with surprise. Instead, he shocked Persephone by cutting a larger piece of the tart with his fork and chomping on the dessert as if it was about to disappear from his life forever. Though he remained silent after the second bite, the smile on his face grew wider and wider by the second.

It was as if the tart was pumping pure happiness into the veins of the God of the Underworld.

"Hey! No fair! Stick to your half!" Persephone pushed her shock aside and wrestled her husbands fork away from the tart. She wanted another piece too! "Don't make me poke you with the end of my fork, my Love!"

It went on that way for the rest of their time spent at the Fox's Den. Never had the smile on Hade's face reached as wide as it did that afternoon as he ate cake and joked with his wife. Food was truly the way to a person's heart and Persephone for one loved every second of it. Their afternoon that Valentine's Day became one of their happiest memories in recent memory, and served to cherish the love and bond husband and wife felt for each other. The blonde couldn't fathom the priceless service he'd provided for his two customers.

Once the pair of immortals finished devouring the tart, they moved onto the Tea Cake. Once that was finished, they moved on to the Neopolitan Cake. If the moans of delight that came from both Persephone and Hades were any indication, then the day had been a success in Naruto's eyes and ears. For the next couple of hours, the pair continued to order the same special dishes over and over again, and the blonde hadn't minded at all. Watching them out of the corner of his eye, the old shinobi felt old memories begin to stir in the back of his mind as a familiar beauty appeared in his mind.

_'Hinata.'_

Boy, he hadn't thought about his wife in...well, in a very long time. Not because he didn't want to see her beautiful face in his mind, but because when he did picture her, it only served to remind him of everything, and everyone he'd lost. The ones that were forever out of his reach. Gone to a place he could never go. Sometimes when he was drifting off to sleep, he imagined her arms wrapping around his body, her head resting on his chest and her legs resting against his knee's. Sleeping with Hinata beside him never failed to help lull him to sleep. Whether it was her steady breathing or the sound of her heart beating against his ear.

She never failed to see the good in him. Even after becoming Hokage, and the stress and pressure of preserving the peace they all fought so hard to achieve began to pile higher and higher on his shoulders, she never failed to turn that weight as light as feather the moment he stepped inside their family home. Seeing her smiling face, her eyes full of love and arms awaiting his embrace, it was a feeling that he cherished to this day.

Other times, he pictured Bolt and Himawari scootching into bed with them. Their son would tuck himself between his parents, his head resting on Hinata's ample chest, while Himawari would lounge against her father. Sometimes her legs would be strewn across his face, or her body horizontal over his stomach. His daughter could sleep in the strangest of positions. These days, he awoke to a cold and empty bed, serving to remind him of his place in the world.

They had been gone a long time. Sometimes...for the briefest of moments...he could feel them standing next to him. However, as soon as he became aware of the feeling, it vanished as quickly as it came. He took it as their way of saying hello.

Truth be told, he felt a little depressed when they entered his mind.

Shaking his thoughts and feelings away while he was on the job, he noticed Mr Underhill trying to catch his attention, and quickly moved over to fulfil his request. This was his life now, and deep down, he knew he couldn't dwell on the past. No good came from being stuck in the past. It was just hard letting it all go.

"What can I get for you?"

While Hades spoke to the blonde and ordered another set of the specials, the Goddess of Spring remained silent, an eery feeling in the back of her mind. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end and goosebumps ran up and down her arms. She hid her surprise while her husband and the mortal conversed, and turned her head so she was facing the window. Why did she have this feeling someone was watching her?

When her golden eyes noticed a figure standing in front of the window, the reason for the feeling became apparent.

_'Ahh. That's why.'_

Standing behind the glass and going unnoticed by the mortals dotting the street was none other than the Goddess of Love, stood with her arms firmly set by her sides, her eyes a torrent of angry colours as she tried to glare a hole through the back of Persephone. She sported a new look, like she often would when the two goddesses met in the spring and summertime, with blonde hair in a bob-style haircut. Looking the woman up and down, she saw Aphrodite was wearing a very expensive looking purple dress. It left an ample amount of cleavage and would have left men and women a salivating mess. It wasn't hard for Persephone to understand what the Goddess had planned, and realised the goddess plan was to entice the delightful blonde owner into joining her in the bedroom.

Ha! Not today!

A smirk wove its way onto Persephone's face and took a sip of her wonderful drink, mouthing silently how amazing it was to the glaring goddess. The act was enough to make the Goddess of Love tremble, the glaring intensifying. Aphrodite would likely try and get her back for this in some creative form, but right now, she didn't have the heart to care.

Instead, Persephone decided to do the childish thing, and give Aphrodite one last parting gift before returning to her husband's company.

She brought up her hand and offered Aphrodite the bird, all the while her smirk widened.

"My dear? What are you doing?"

Her husband's voice brought her attention back to the table and found Hades and Naruto staring at her. The latter had his notepad and pen in his hand.

"Nothing darling. Nothing at all." She replied, adopting an innocent smile as she clasped her hands together, "Another round of everything then?"

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you thought in the comments.**

**Hades and Persephone don't get explored enough in the book in my opinion. I love the idea that out of all the gods, they have the happiest marriage, much to the annoyance of the other members of the family. I wasn't sure how to portray their marriage at first, but I hope you all enjoyed the route I took.**

**Thanks for reading everyone, and see you again soon.**


	5. Part V

**Once again, I'd like to thank everyone for taking the time to read this story. Part IV was such a success it blew my mind. I'm glad you all enjoyed the interaction between Hades and Persephone. They were a lot of fun to write, and I'm looking forward to bringing them back in later chapters. **

**Until then, I hope this chapter is enough to wet your appetite. **

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity **

**Part V**

The moment the bell rang, Naruto's face lit up as a familiar customer appeared before him.

"Well, if it isn't my favourite customer!"

The Goddess of the Moon blinked in surprise at the blonde's voice. After a long and tiring couple of days training the newest members of her Hunt and running them through their first-ever monster hunt with little sleep, Artemis decided she needed to slip away for an hour. As always, she left her faithful lieutenant, Zoe, to keep the girls in line until she returned and have the chores completed. The three new girls, Lucy, Tracey, and Eloise showed promise, though it would be many years before they came close to acquiring the skillset her older hunters possessed. Hunters like Zoe, who had been part of the Hunt for over two thousand years, and Phoebe, a daughter of Apollo who'd joined before even Zoe, were two of a handful of young women who grew into elite warriors after spending centuries at her side.

Like her Aunt Hestia, Artemis often spent the time in a younger form. Most often it was in the form of a girl between the ages of thirteen and fifteen, as many of her young companions tended to fluctuate between those ages. It was a method for her to bond with her hunters, particularly the younger ones who might find her adult form too intimidating and imposing. To make them feel more comfortable, she took on a form that helped them feel at ease. Most of her hunters had come to her to escape from the grasp of evil men and their dark thoughts and desires, which was why her group of maidens were women and women only. Though only a handful of men had ever earned a place in her hunt, it was exceptionally unlikely in this day and age.

With some time to herself and Zoe running the Hunt in her place, Artemis teleported to New York. Changing back into her adult form, and adopting modern clothing rather than her hunting gear, she headed straight for her favourite spot in the city. She sent a message to Athena and asked if her sister wished to join her, but the Goddess of Wisdom was currently engaged in a meeting with Hephaestus. For once, she was going it alone.

"Good afternoon, Naruto."

"Good afternoon." He handed her a menu and led her to a table near the counter. "It's been a little while since you last visited. I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to see you again." One of his hands dug into his pockets, "Your sister not with you today?"

"I've been busy of sorts these last few weeks. Out of state," She explained, "This is my first time back in the city in over a month." Her most recent hunts had taken her across the North American continent, hunting creatures and monsters big and small with the aid of her hunters. One of the aspects of hunting monsters she always found exhilarating was never knowing how long each hunt was going to take. Some hunts could take no longer than a couple of hours. Once, a hunt back in the 1400s took no longer than five minutes when they discovered the monster they were requested to track and destroy was no more than three hundred yards up the dirt path from them. However, other times she participated in hunts that took years to complete. Though time-consuming, the feeling of ending a hunt after such a long period was one of the most gratifying feelings a huntress like herself could have, "And no, my sister was unavailable. Though, I'm sure she will stop by for a visit soon."

"I see. Not to worry. I'll have to keep an eye out for her." He laughed, "She always has the funniest reactions when she visits. Is it terrible of me to say it brightens my day when I catch her reactions from the corner of my eye?"

Artemis couldn't help but half-grin at the statement. Truthfully, Athena's reactions during their visits tickled her funny bone as well. The first time with lemon curd still replayed over and over again in her mind, and while shocked the first time, now the Olympian found the scene hilarious. Athena had sworn her to secrecy over that incident, but it didn't mean she couldn't use it to tease the elder goddess.

"No, it's not, though I wouldn't mention it to her." She advised, half-serious and half in humour, "My sister isn't the type who handles being embarrassed very well. I would be careful, and not make your amusement too obvious."

"Understood. I'll try and be discrete." He could do that. He was a ninja after all. Discrete was his middle name.

"See that you do."

Looking around the room, she noticed she was the only customer and forced a frown to etch over her beautiful features. Where was everyone else? She thought business was booming! The last time she was here, she and Athena had been lucky to get a table. If they arrived even a minute later they would have been forced to leave disappointed. "Where's all your customers? I thought the business was doing well?"

The idea that her favourite place wasn't getting the attention it deserved was ludicrous.

A chuckle escaped Naruto, "They were all here earlier." Her blank look coerced him to elaborate, "It's Sunday and I close at two on Sundays. Remember?"

The Goddess of the Moon had let that piece of information slip her mind.

"I was moments away from closing up for the day before you came in."

Artemis's eyes widened a fraction,_ 'How could I forget!'_ She looked at the clock behind the counter and read 14:05. In her excitement, the Olympian forgot there was a three hour time difference between California and New York. '_How foolish of me!'_ She fought the urge to facepalm. Her excitement had gotten the better of her and the lack of sleep from the past couple of days was catching up with her.

"I'll go. My apologies for..."She started to say, already on her feet when the blonde owner waved his hands in the air.

Another chuckle escaped him. "Don't worry about it. Sit down! Sit down!"

"Are you sure?" Artemis hated being needlessly in the way, as rare of an occurrence as it was.

"Very. Now sit and make yourself comfortable." He replied, his voice laced with confidence. If any other male had spoken to her like that then she would have turned his into a jackelope. However, since it was the blonde who she was was developing more than a tolerance for, she would allow it.

_'Though, he better not push his luck.'_

She sat back down, her menu returning to her hands, "Very well, but only because you insisted." Inwardly, she let out a sigh of relief. She'd been looking forward to this all day. Her sweet tooth was craving for a slice of anything she could get her hands on. The stuff she ate with the Hunt was decent, but it never left her fully satisfied, especially her need for sugary baked goods. Her hunters were novices at best when it came to cooking, despite trying in the past to have Hestia give them a few pointers.

Smiling, he walked over to the door and switched the open sign to close. He didn't want any more walk-ins.

"So, what can I get you?" He asked. He didn't bother with his notepad and pen. He already had an idea what the auburn-haired woman was going to order. Vice versa, Artemis looked at him with a blank look, while raising one of her eyebrows. Surely he wasn't serious?

"I'll take my usual, please. Salted caramel hot chocolate."

"Of course. And the Cake?

"Carrot, please. Two slices." Artemis even held up two fingers.

His smile grew wider at the cheek. "Alright. I'll be with you shortly." He turned and prepared to move away, however, the Goddess watched him halt mid-step. A thought crossed his mind that Naruto had been meaning to ask should he encounter her again. "Can I ask you something?"

Artemis raised another eyebrow, "As long as its nothing personal." She liked the mortal, but she hoped he knew his boundaries. There was still time to turn him into a four-legged critter. For his sake, he better not ask her on a date as previous foolish men tried. It didn't end well for them.

To her surprise, Naruto caught onto her thoughts and shook his head. "It's nothing like that. Cross my heart." He motioned a cross shape over his chest, "It's something I've been wondering and meaning to ask you since your first visit." When Artemis motioned for him to continue, he asked his question, "What's your name?"

Artemis blinked in surprise. That wasn't the question she was expecting, "My name?"

The blonde nodded, "Yeah, your name. I've wanted to ask since you almost cleaned me out of carrot cake on your first visit. You and your sister have become regular faces around here, but I still don't know your name. I'd like to rectify that if you let me." His smile returned, and he gave a light shrug, "You don't have to, but I wouldn't mind knowing the name of my favourite customer."

The goddess hummed in thought. She sensed no ill-will in his voice, and his posture was calm and relaxed. If he was up to something, he hid it well. Though some men were known to have the uncanny ability to hide their true selves behind a mask or facade of a false persona. However, the moon goddess liked to think she was a good judge of character, and thus far the blonde owner had yet to give her a reason to think he was up to no good. He didn't strike her as the type who would possess evil thoughts of that nature. So far, he had proven himself to be a decent man, whose primary concern was keeping his business running and showing kindness and good food to his customers.

Leaning back in her chair, she gave a small nod, "I don't see any harm in it. My name is Artemis."

Naruto's smile widened, and let out a hum, "Artemis?" He repeated the name a couple of times. He liked the way it rolled off the tongue, "That's a beautiful name. You're named after a goddess, you know."

Artemis fought the urge to smirk. Instead, she wore a playful little smile that few male mortals got to see, "I know. Since my family is greek, they felt it was appropriate for me to have a greek name. What could be better than being named after a goddess."

"Not much I guess." He chuckled.

"Indeed. Do you know much about greek mythology? It's not a subject people study much these days. It's a rare following."

The blonde owner nodded. His hands rested on the chair in front of him, "It just so happens I do. I learned a lot during my time in Greece, as I mentioned the day we met. It wasn't just the language and the food I studied but the whole mythos that surrounded ancient Greece. I visited a lot of the old sites like you would do in a country with such a rich history." He thought back to the days he travelled around, and thought back to one of his many visits to the old country, "I visited the Acropolis in Athens, the Ancient Delphi, Meteora, Epidaurus, Ancient Olympia. Those are just a couple of places I had the pleasure of visiting. I can only imagine what they were like back in their day."

"Yes, I can imagine." The goddess replied, playing along.

He ran a hand through his hair, "You know, I went to what's left of the old Temple of Artemis in Turkey a long time ago." He revealed, making Artemis look at him in interest, "I'm not sure what I expected to find, but I couldn't help feeling disappointed when I saw all that was left was foundation and fragments." Looking up at the ceiling, he closed his eyes for a brief moment, remembering his time in Ephesus, "I bet it was a thing of beauty back in the day."

Oh, it was, and Artemis knew full well how majestic her old temple was. Back in ancient times, her temple was frequently visited by women and men of all ages, praying to her for several things that fell under her jurisdiction. The men would pray to her for successful and plentiful hunts while expecting mothers would pray for strength for the coming days that lay ahead of them. Her temple was one of the most iconic temples ever built on the earth, rivalled only by the Temple of Athena at the summit of the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. However, twice her temple had to be rebuilt. The first time, a devasting flood reduced it to rubble, curtesy of Poseidon after one of his infamous temper tantrums. The God of the Sea had been forced to pay a great tribute to her as compensation. The second time, a few centuries later her temple was burned to the ground by that foolish mortal, Herostratus, who sought notoriety and fame. She couldn't lie and say she didn't take a small amount of pleasure in watching the foolish man from getting his just-desserts during his execution.

Although a modern model was built years later in Istanbul, she had only visited the site once. It didn't possess the same value as the old versions, and a rare handful of people prayed to her these days.

While lost in her thoughts, the blonde disappeared behind the counter and got her order underway. "You don't mind if I get things cleaned up after I finish your order, do you?"

She shook her head, "Not at all."

Fortunately for her, she didn't have to wait long before Artemis found herself sinking into the chair as the taste of her hot chocolate covered her lips. Releasing a small hum of delight, she moved onto her cake, and like always, felt her sweet tooth getting utterly satisfied as her immortal tastebuds were showered with sugary bliss. How the mortal man did it, she didn't know, but she wished that she did. Artemis was a decent cook, given some lessons by her Mother and Hestia, but had never made anything remotely as sweet and perfect as the meal in front of her.

Was there a method to the man's madness? Was there someone helping him? She'd never seen another soul working the little cafe in the time she spent in its warm embrace. She remembered that he mentioned making from scratch many of the delightful goods himself, but when did he find the time to make them all? His menu was vast and unpredictable. It would take him all through the night to make it all. Not to mention, there was the issue of keeping it all fresh.

It was a mystery, and part of the Moon Goddess wanted to solve it.

'Don't rock the boat.' She thought to herself. She had a good thing going here. The Fox's Den was an escape. Somewhere she could get away for an hour or two. She and Athena had been the first to visit, and since then, more and more gods and immortals from their world were beginning to take notice. On the one hand, she wished the little cafe had been her secret with Athena which only they could enjoy. On the other hand, at least it was getting the business and fame it deserved. If it closed down, Artemis was sure she would weep for days.

No more hot chocolate.

No more cake.

'What a dark world that would be.'

From her seat, Artemis couldn't help but watch him as she sipped her drink. Without Athena to talk with, she had little else to do but watch the man at work. 'He has good balance,' She mused, watching as he stacked one of his trays high with cups and plates, and balanced it on the tips of his fingers. For ten minutes, Artemis sat and watched him moving around the room as if his body was on autopilot. As soon as one task was done, he was onto the next before she could blink.

'_His rate of work is impressive.'_ She mused, before inwardly frowning and rolling her eyes,_ 'Stop praising the man. Gods, what is wrong with me.'_

A hand waved in front of her face, and Artemis found the blonde trying to catch her attention. A broom was in his hand, with a small pile of trash piled together next to him.

"Yes?" Had he asked her something? She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed. "Did you need something?"

"Nothing important, but I did want to ask you another question. Though, only if you don't mind your attention temporarily leaving your cake."

Another question? How bold of him. "I'll allow it. However, I expect another round of both." She pointed to her empty plate, and cup at she chewed on the final piece of her meal.

"All in good time," He laughed and took her words in good humour. "I asked what do you do?"

"What do I do?" She repeated, a frown appearing at the words, "What do you mean?'

"I mean that you said you were out of the state, right?" She nodded, "Well, was that because of work? If it was, then I was asking what do you do for a job? What's your profession?"

Oh! That's what he was asking. Her mouth began to move, yet before any words could come out her mind stepped in. What was she going to say? It wasn't like she going to spill the beans to him and tell him all the glorious details. 'There's a goddess in front of you, who just so happens to be the actual Artemis we were talking about earlier. Crazy, right!'

Yeah, no. It was rare for her to inform mortals, especially male mortals of her true identity. As much as the blonde had grown on her, he still didn't need to know the nitty-gritty details. The only mortals she told were the girls who joined her hunt, demigods she happened to come across, and the few mortals that were clear-sighted and could see through the mist that wrapped around their world. The blonde was neither a woman nor was he a demigod, and Artemis was close to positive that he couldn't see through the mist. Therefore, her identity would remain a secret from him.

_'Although maybe telling him he's serving a goddess would earn me a discount,'_ She mused, though shook those thoughts away. She would tuck that question away for another time.

"I'm a..." She paused for a moment, before settling on a story, "Guidance Counsellor."

"Really?"

_'Roll with it,'_ She thought, before continuing, "That's right. I specialize in helping young women, typically teenagers and sometimes younger that come from broken homes or have faced abuse in their past." That's part wasn't made-up. "I have a group of girls that I take away on retreats, working with them out in the wilderness and teaching them how to survive in nature. We go camping, hiking, and I've even shown them how to hunt and gather their food."

She heard him whistle, and stare at her with an impressed look. "Wow. That's amazing." He grabbed a couple of napkins from the counter and handed them to the waiting hands of the goddess. "How many do you work with?"

"About three dozen."

"On your own?"

"All on my own. My sister chips in from time to time, but most of the time it's just me." Her sister often pointed her in the direction of young women that required her aid. Some of Athena's past daughters were once members of the hunt, though none currently existed within the group. "Does that surprise you?"

She watched and gauged his reaction, and felt a stroke of relief when he shook his head. "It doesn't. To be honest, I''m not surprised at all."

She stared at him curiously "Oh? And why is that?"

His expression turned thoughtful, "I'm not sure why and I can't explain it well, but when I saw you the first time you visited, I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach that you were someone who liked taking care of people."

"Oh?"

That surprised her to hear. She leaned forward, inwardly urging him to continue. She wanted to hear more.

"There's something about you that makes me believe you're someone who has seen bad things happen to people. Maybe you've had bad experiences in the past, or maybe you haven't. That's not my place to ask." He gave her a look, indicating he wasn't going to push that subject with her. "Either way, you have this...energy about you. It's comforting and warm, and I felt it the first day you walked through that door." He nodded over to the door, and smiled, "I think you're someone who wants to shield people, in this case, young girls, and gives them something to strive for. You don't want them to lose themselves down a dark path because of the abuse they've suffered, so you take them into a safe environment and you teach them how to survive. You teach them how to be strong."

He leaned on the broom, and his smile widened, "I've met a lot of people, and I've met some who have done awful things to others. Going across the world opens up a box that can't ever be closed. Sadly, I've come to realise some people can only be described as awful, misguided and cruel. They inflict pain onto other people for reasons that make no sense. Women, in particular, tend to get the short end of the stick every time and end up suffering at the hands of both men and their fellow woman. Whether it be physical abuse, mental abuse or any kind of abuse for that matter, no one should have to go through those kinds of horrors."

There was a brightness to his blue eyes when he looked at her, "Knowing that young women have someone like you in their corner, someone who fights for them and shows them kindness and a helping hand, it proves my assumption about you was correct." He went back to his cleaning, though not before saying, "By the way, your meals on the house today. Think of it as my way of saying thank you."

Returning to his work, the face Artemis sent his way went unnoticed. The Goddess of the Moon could do little but stare silently at the blonde, her crumb covered mouth partially open as she gawked at him.

This mortal, this man...continued to baffle her. She was four thousand five hundred and ninety-three years old, and she could say with all certainty, she had never been praised by a male mortal in such a way before. One that wasn't a demigod, or had any connection to their Olympian family. Even Zeus, who doted on her and Athena like they were still small goddesses he could pick up and lift onto his shoulders had never praised her for her work in such form. It was always something regarding her skill as a warrior, and never as a nurturer. People forgot, and she included her family in that category, that she was more than just the Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. She was also the Patron of young women and children and held divine authority over childbirth alongside her sister, Elythia, thanks in part for delivering her twin Apollo from their mother.

She could be nurturing and loving. She didn't have children of her own out of choice early in her life, but she showed compassion and kindness to children of both genders regardless of the sins of the parents. Her Hunters could attest to that.

This man, he was confusing her.

The first time they met and he surprised her behind the counter, she thought he was like all the rest. She thought he would be cocky, arrogant or overconfident with his talents as a chef. The rest of the world would be if they possessed a tenth of his culinary talent. However, Artemis was pleased that she had listened to Athena and given him a chance to prove himself to be unlike the others. He was confident, but not overly so. He took compliments with grace and no shortage of embarrassment, and his sunny disposition and kindness had wormed its way into the good graces of many of her family members.

He was a good one. Artemis had come to that realisation.

"You don't have to do that." She replied.

She watched him blink, "I know I don't have too," He looked up from the floor, and smiled in her direction, "But I want too." She was prepared to argue her point but stopped when he sent her a light scolding expression, "Take the offer. I'm only offering it today. Use this chance wisely." There was a hint of a challenge in his tone.

The goddess huffed and crossed her arms. Beneath the table, her foot tapped against the floor in mild annoyance. Fine then! If he was serious about her not paying, then she was going to take advantage of his kind offer. She hoped he was ready because her sweet tooth was already returning in force. His kindness would be his downfall because she planned on upping her appetite to the next level!

* * *

** Outside**

Across the street from the Fox's Den, as the blonde shinobi and the Goddess of the Hunt conversed with each other, little did they know another Olympian was also in the neighbourhood. This Olympian had been made a fool of by the blonde, and thanks to him became the butt of the joke by his family and came looking for revenge. He didn't know who it was, but someone had leaked to his Olympian family what had occurred that fateful day and he hadn't heard the end of it. Everyone, including his father, would snicker every time he walked into the room, and his brothers had become intolerable. Apollo and Ares were on his case every free moment he had and it was making his ichor boil!

Even Poseidon caught wind of it beneath the Sea, and Iris messaged him for the sole purpose of pointing and laughing at him! He couldn't stand it!

He was sure it wasn't Hestia. His lovable aunt would never betray him in such a form. Maybe it was the nymphs, but he doubted any were brave enough. Satyrs? No, not the satyrs. They would never betray him. No, he bet it was that damned Terminus! That stupid border god loved to make his life miserable.

Oh, when he was finished with the blonde, Terminus was next. That was for damn sure.

"I got you now you conniving S.O.B," Hermes whispered, his blue eyes narrowing at his foe. Wrapped in the mist, he remained hidden and out of sight from his foe. Next to him, the dark-haired god patted his secret weapon that would even out the scales and delivers to him his sweet retribution. Like he promised to his Aunt, he wasn't going to kill the mortal. However, that didn't mean he couldn't hurt the mortal. It wouldn't be too severe, but it would be funny.

What was his weapon of choice? He could have gone with a couple of choices, however, his genius mind had settled on a Hephaestus-grade mash potato canon. It had taken some bribing since his elder brother didn't do anything for free, and a great amount of patience, but he finally convinced the God of the Forge to go through with his request. Modelled after one of the old 24-pounder long guns used by the world's navies between the 17th and 19th centuries, the only difference between his one and the old models was that his shot out mash-potato at a frightening speed and was capable of shooting through a tree. He tested it once the other day, and it was safe to say, Ares had not been too happy at being his test dummy.

The God of War had been exiting his temple when he was hit by a condensed shot of mash potato and was sent sprawling through his home yelling and cursing. He hadn't realised Aphrodite had been visiting, and the lump he called his brother had landed on top of her, covering her in mash potato and ruining her dress. The Goddess of love had given him an earful later on, but it was worth it.

All he had to do now was catch Naruto at the right moment and lay him out with his glorious canon. There was only one issue with his plan, and it was one he hadn't been counting on. Hermes had hoped the blond would be alone to avoid additional casualties. He didn't think Artemis of all people would be there at this exact moment. However, as unwise as it was with the Goddess of the Moon present, Hermes would carry on undeterred. His schedule over the next month was hectic, and that was putting it mildly. It was now or never, even if it meant upsetting his dangerous, and temperamental older sister.

"Come on Hermes, you beautiful man. You got this!" He repeated to himself, psyching himself up.

* * *

Naruto whistled, "Boy, you sure showed me." Staring at the plates and cups that were piled high around her table, the blonde couldn't do anything but admire the auburn-haired woman's determination and seemingly bottomless pit she called a stomach. It reminded him of himself. "You know, I wonder if that's some kind of new record. Maybe I should have your face framed and put on display on the back wall for all to see."

Wiping her face with the napkins provided, the happy expression plastered on her face bordered on smugness. She wasn't sure how long it had been since she'd self-indulged to such a degree, but it was hard to care about such thoughts when she felt so pleasantly full. Her appetite was something of infamy on Olympus, and despite being notably smaller than her divine brothers, and some of her sisters, Artemis could outlast all of them when it came to food. Most of the time she could restrain herself, but being told everything was on the house for one day only, restraint had gone out of the window.

How gluttony wasn't one of her domains still mystified her.

"I'd ask where it all goes, but I know questions like that could get me in trouble with women."

Artemis snorted, "Smart man. It's nice to see a man with a brain for once."

Naruto bowed in response.

"I suppose I should leave you be, and let you go home. I've been here an hour longer then I intended." She needed to get back to her hunters. Zoe, in particular, would be wondering where she had gotten too. "Thank you for your time and patience, and thank you for staying open longer for me. The gesture is...appreciated. Hopefully, I'll be able to come back sooner." She stood from the table and dusted off the crumbs from her shirt.

"I look forward to it," Naruto replied, looking at the high pile of plates and cups. He was never more thankful for his dishwasher then he was right now. Despite being kept longer at the Fox's Den that he'd hoped, he found himself enjoying the small talk that began between himself and Artemis. They went back and forth on whatever crossed their minds, and he found himself enjoying her company. It was nice talking to someone who wasn't one of his clones.

Artemis had the same thoughts, though wouldn't admit it out loud. The mortal man was...alright in her books.

An idea popped into his head, and he motioned for Artemis to wait for a moment. Watching him disappear, Artemis stood by the counter, watching the door that led to the kitchen and listening to the movements and mutterings of the blonde.

_'What in the world is he doing?'_ She wondered. When a minute passed, she was about to head towards the door when Naruto came waltzing out, pushing the door open with his left leg and carrying two large white paper boxes in his arms. "What's this?"

"Just something from me to you," He replied, "You said you see your group regularly. Next time you see them, treat them to what's in the boxes." He smiled and lifted one of the lids, revealing the inside of the box. The inside was littered with goodies that would have made Artemis salivate with greed. Dozens of cookies were piled high on each other, with gooey chocolate on the inside. The smell made Artemis close her eyes, taking in the scent. Maybe she could make some room after in her stomach after all. "The other one has lemon squares. There should be enough for everyone to have a couple each.

"This is...very kind of you. You don't have to do this."

She watched him turn to look at her, blue meeting silver. She knew his eyes were blue, but she never noticed how blue they were. They were more vibrant than Apollo's, and even her father's. "Like I said earlier. I know I don't have too, but I want too." His smile widened, and shrugged, "Maybe, if you and your group are ever in the neighbourhood, you could come and visit. I'll treat them all to hot chocolates and cakes."

Closing the lid shut, Artemis placed one box on top of the other and lifted them into her arms. That wasn't a bad idea. She had a feeling her hunters would come to like this place as well if given the chance to visit. "Sure. That would be...nice."

His face brightened. "Then, until next time."

"Until next time." She replied, and starting moving, "Could you get the door for me. My hands are a little full at the moment."

"Sure." He wandered over and pulled the door open, bowing low in an over-dramatic fashion. The action was enough to make her snort, though in amusement rather then annoyance.

"Thank you." Taking one last look at the blonde, her face frowned when she looked down at his shoes, pointing out, "Your shoelaces are untied."

"Huh?" Blinking, he looked down and saw she was right. "So they are. Thanks!"

Crouching down to tie his laces, Naruto was none the wiser when out of nowhere, a loud bang erupted in the air and he felt something whiz passed the top of his head at tremendous speeds, grazing the tips of his hair. He almost jumped up in surprise and felt something splash against his cheek as a thud followed after. He spun around, noticing none of the people out in the street appeared bothered by the loud noise, and searched the pavement for anything that could have resulted in such a loud noise.

_'What the hell was that?'_ He thought. For a moment, he thought he saw movement in the alleyway opposite the Fox's Den. He could sense something across the street, but whatever it was, it was masking its presence and trying to keep itself hidden. It felt familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Touching his cheek, he wiped off the residue from whatever splashed against him. He stared at it for a couple of seconds before realisation hit him,_ 'Is this mashed potato? __Why in the world was mashed potato flying through the air?'_

"Hey, do you kno-" He started to say, but his words died in his mouth when he got a look at Artemis. "Oh boy."

To say Artemis had been unlucky would be an understatement. The Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, who moments ago was happier and more content then she had been in months, was now on the other side of the room with her back resting against the wall of the Fox's Den, cracks covering the wall like a spiders web. The impact of the mashed potato from across the street had caught her unguarded, and tossed her through the air and into a sitting position, her legs out in front of her and arms wrapped around the cake boxes in a vice-like grip. Her body was covered with mashed potato from head to toe, with large clumps of it wrangled in her hair and up her nose.

Naruto couldn't say a word and watched as the realization of what happened slowly dawned on Artemis. Her face, once wearing an amused smile, quickly morphed into one of pure fury that Naruto wouldn't wish on his worst enemy. He let out a gulp and got to his feet. Reaching behind the counter, he pulled out a towel and wordlessly handed it to Artemis, who took the towel and wiped the vegetable residue off her face.

Her silver eyes zeroed in on the alleyway, like a lion who found it's prey and got to her feet. She turned her attention to the gobsmacked Naruto and handed back the towel, which he gingerly accepted.

"Thank you. If you would excuse me. It appears I need to make a trip home, and..." She trailed off mid-sentence, her rage consuming her body. The blonde could do little more than nod his head as the auburn-haired goddess left the Fox's Den, cold fury taking over her entire person. He idly noticed her make a motion to her neck, dragging a finger across the jugular before disappearing from view.

Turning around and now on his own, Naruto sighed when he noticed it wasn't just Artemis that was covered in mash potato, but now potato was strewn across the inside of the Den on every side.

"I just want to go home." He muttered, before beginning his clean-up again.

* * *

"Run, Hermes! Run as you've never run before!" Hermes muttered to himself, running across Olympus and leaving a trail behind him as fear encased his entire being. "That damn blonde! Why did he have to duck at that exact moment!"

Running across his ancestral home, the God of Messengers thought about his options. The mortal realm was out of the question. Artemis would find him in a heartbeat. His temple was out of the question, and the unsaid rule about gods not barging into other's temples would go widely unnoticed in this situation. He doubted his sister cared for that rule with all that rage coursing through her.

He ran through his options.

"Apollo isn't here, nor is Ares. Dionysus is at Camp-HalfBlood, and Hephaestus has locked himself in his forge again." His brothers wouldn't be of any use. Apollo, in particular, had a weak spot for his twin, and would likely give him up rather than help him. "Aunt Hestia, Demeter and Hera are visiting Grandmother, so who knows where they might be." Their grandmother came and went from Olympus when she pleased and became increasingly difficult to track. Her residence, a pottery studio she started a decade ago had a habit of shifting and alternating its location.

There was Athena to turn to, but Hermes shook that out of his thoughts. Athena and Artemis were close, and his elder sister would likely conspire with Artemis to have him tortured if given the chance. She still hadn't forgiven him for painting one side of her temple pink while she was visiting the mortal world. Gulping, his choices were running low. Poseidon and Hades would turn him away, the latter in particular. Though he could beneath the Sea and the Underworld, he wasn't supposed to abuse that privilege given to him by his uncles. Angering the Gods of the Sea and the Underworld was not on his to-do list. One man-hating Goddess was enough.

Biting the bullet, Hermes changed course and made a beeline for the grand temple made of white marble that stood closest to the Throne Room of the Gods. Hopefully, his old man wouldn't be bothered too much by the sudden intrusion.

"HERMES!"

His face going pale, Hermes bolted towards his father's temple, his sisters voice ringing throughout Olympus. Her godly energy fluctuated in bursts and was likely sensed by all currently residing on Olympus. It was potent enough that Hermes could practically feel her rage. "Oh, man. She is soooo pissed!" He muttered, narrowly avoiding colliding with a pair of nymphs, and shouting an apology as he ran passed them.

In mere seconds, Hermes found himself pushing open the enormous golden doors of his father's temple and ran inside, slamming it shut behind him. The inside of Zeus's temple was exactly how one would imagine it to be. It was large and spacious, and everything was made of marble. Personally, Hermes preferred hardwood flooring and found marble floor much too slippery for his liking, but he wasn't about to doubt his father's taste in decoration. A grand staircase left up to the second floor, where the Master Suite resided, along with a long hallway that contained many of his father's trophies and statues depicting his greatest triumphs. If that wasn't enough, a large statue of Zeus stood in the centre of the temple, reaching the height of the roof and seen by all on every floor.

Catching his breath, the sound of a tv reached his ears and Hermes noticed the faint glow coming from one of the back rooms. It looked like it was coming from his father's theatre room. His father was a massive movie buff and had a thing for romantic comedies, not that many knew of course.

_'Probably looking for the next Hollywood starlet to seduce,'_ Hermes thought, before making a beeline for the room. His father loved celebrities almost as much as Aphrodite.

As he expected when he appeared in the doorway, he spotted his father sitting in a comfortable black leather recliner with gold stitching. Zeus's theatre room was giant, even by normal standards and designed in the same manner as a mortal theatre, with Zeus's favourite movie posters decorating the walls. Godfather, in particular, was his father's favourite movie of all time, and Hermes had caught the King of Olympus reciting quotes from the movie as if they were Shakespeare. Shelves were filled to the brim with DVDs, VHS tapes and old movie reels. Off to the side was a confectionary stand that was always stacked full of Zeus's favourite movie-going treats. He even had a slushy machine with over a dozen different flavours constantly churning away.

Wearing his usual suit with lightning dancing across the fabric, the imposing aura his father tried to induce was given away by the pair of fuzzy white slippers his feet were clad in. They'd been a gift from Hestia a few years ago, and the God of the Sky was rarely seen without them when roaming his temple. Hera had tried to get him to wear something different when they spending time together smoozing in one of their temples, though she had yet to succeed.

Storming into the room, he looked around and quickly searched for the best hiding spot. In this case, he chose to hide behind the enormous golden curtains that covered his father's screen when it wasn't being used. It was big enough for a human body to hide without notice.

The God of the Sky and King of the Gods blinked in surprise, a handful of buttery popcorn in his hands and flecked across his beard. Gathering his bearings, his face turned into a scowl, and a thrum of his immense power washed over the room, followed by the smell of the ozone, "Hermes! What do you think you're doing!" He paused the movie, with the image of Bobby Boucher about to football tackle a teacher frozen on the screen.

Zeus loved Adam Sandler, but that was neither here nor there.

"Sorry, Dad!" The younger god slipped behind the curtain, and Zeus felt his son's godly energy vanish. "I'll make it up to you, I swear. Just don't let Artemis find me!"

A grunt escaped Zeus's body, "What did you do, you idiot?"

Behind the curtain, Hermes was about to explain the situation to his father, hoping he could understand his plight. Though Zeus was a squishy marshmallow when it came to his immortal daughters, Artemis and Athena in particular, he could only hope his father would back him up on this one. Zeus practically invented the bro code after all. However, before Hermes could utter a word, the sounds of Zeus's temple doors creaked open, forcing Hermes to become as silent and still as a statue.

Turning to the doorway, Zeus watched as his youngest olympian daughter walked through the door, and was quick to notice the substance covering her body. _'Potato?'_ He thought before his mind went to work and put the pieces of the puzzle together. He snorted and rolled his eyes, all the while shaking his head. His sons seemed to forget how formidable their olympian sisters could be.

Walking into the room with her hands clenched into fists, the Goddess of the Moon flittered across the room as silent as a deer, her eyes working a thousand miles an hour as she searched every nook and cranny within Zeus's theatre room. "Father," She greeted, leaning over and placing a delicate kiss on her father's cheek. Her eyes never left the movie screen, and Zeus watched as her eyes searched the curtain on the left side, before settling on the one on the right.

Her eyes narrowed, and Zeus watched in mild amusement as his sons hiding spot was compromised.

Artemis stepped forward with an expression that promised a great deal of pain when Zeus called out to her, "Moon Flower." She turned and stared at the King of the Gods. If it was anyone else calling her that name, Artemis would have wrapped her bow around their head. It was a pet name she earned when she first visited Olympus. Only her father, and her mother, Leto, were allowed to call her that. Even Apollo would find his head buried in the earth if the name found its way escaping from his lips.

"Yes, Papa." Zeus had half a mind to chuckle when he heard the name. She only called him that when she wanted something, or when she needed to get away with something.

"Take it outside." Angry as she might be, he had no desire to watch his temple get turned inside out by his two children.

"Fine." Her words came out as a grumble, but the attitude disappeared the moment her eyes returned to the curtains. Before Zeus could blink, he watched as Artemis bolted forward, and dived behind the curtain. Silence reigned for no longer than a second before the wails of his son rang through his temple, forcing the King to shake his head as Artemis dragged Hermes out from behind the curtain, his head locked in her arms in an uncomfortable-looking headlock. His son tried to fight out of it, his arms swinging wildly in the air, but Artemis avoided every swing.

The God of Messages tried to look up at his sister, "It was an accident! I swear! I was meant to get the barista!"

His words had the opposite effect he was hoping for. Artemis didn't say anything, and instead tightened the hold she had around his head. If he wasn't a god, then Hermes's head would have popped off like a champagne cork.

"D-Dad! Get m-me out of this!" Hermes chocked out before his sister's free fist came crashing down on the top of his head. A look of sadistic delight washed over her face, pulling the flailing Hermes out of Zeus's theatre room and out of the temple.

"You brought this on yourself, Hermes," Zeus grumbled, before unfreezing the movie. He knew his daughter's temper was almost as bad as his, though hopefully, she could restrain herself from taking it too far. "Chin up."

"Not that face! Please, not th-" A squelch followed, followed by a cry of agony, making Zeus wince as the door to his temple slammed shut. Shaking his head, he ignored the commotion happening outside, and leaned back in his recliner, digging back into his buttery popcorn.

A bark of laughter soon escaped his mouth "Ha! This movie kills me every time."

* * *

**Thanks for reading everyone. I hope you enjoyed this addition to the story.**

**Artemis is one of my favourites of the olympian, and I really wanted to show her warming up to Naruto, and genuinely enjoyed his company. Her personality is fun to write, and I like showing her to be one of the more compassionate immortals, at least to those who deserve it. Unlike other stories who push Artemis with characters in seconds after meeting, I want to establish a friendship forming between them first and foremost. **

**See you all again soon.**


	6. Part Vl

**As always, I'd like to thank everyone for their continued support for this story. **

**I hope you enjoy the next part. **

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity **

**Part Vl**

The blue eyes belonging to Naruto Uzumaki snapped open with the shinobi bursting up from his bed. His breathing was deep and ragged, with a sheen of sweat covering his forehead. Around the crew neck of his white t-shirt, drips of sweat darkened the fabric and stuck to the skin beneath. His body shook as his left hand came up and gently patted his chest, trying to regain control over his breathing. He crouched to one knee next to the bed, his free hand running his palm across the smooth fabric of the bedsheets as he felt the adrenaline begin to leave his body.

After a couple of minutes, he changed his position and sat with his back resting against the bed. His head leaned back, staring up at the ceiling while he switched his bedside lamp on. Next to the lamp sat his alarm clock, displaying the time, 04:01 am. He still had an hour before he needed to get up, but something told him he wouldn't be falling back to sleep.

_'What the hell was that?'_

His dream, or nightmare, whichever he wanted to refer to it as had been so vivid. Sometimes when people dreamed, their bodies switched to a kind of autopilot and went through the motions of the story that was playing out. Other times, they would watch themselves in the third person, watching the choices they were making. It was like a cinematic dream, and the person was watching a movie play out in their mind. This one, however, was a lucid dream, and Naruto was in control of his every action. He didn't dream often, but when he did his mind got creative.

_'Hinata.'_

Of course, the dream was about Hinata. His late wife had been on his mind for weeks now, ever since the Underhills visited the Fox's Den for their Valentines Day. At first, it was random thoughts popping into his mind here and there. He'd been eating a bowl of ramen in his living room when his thoughts turned to the evening Hinata outclassed himself and Choji to become the undisputed Ramen eating champion of Iciraku Ramen. To this day, he didn't know how she did it, or where all that ramen went. Other time's he thought about their afternoons together in their garden after he made himself some tea. Hinata was a master when it came to brewing tea and tea ceremonies. She taught him everything she knew about brewing tea leaves and getting the taste just right. Most mornings, when he woke up, his hand instinctively reached out to what would have been Hinata's side of the bed, wanting to feel her warm body beneath his fingertips. Now, it was just the cool surface of the sheets.

In the dream, it felt so real. Hinata had been right in front of him, barely a meter away and in touching distance from his hands. She looked as she did when Bolt started attending the Ninja Academy, with her lavender jumper and her hair falling just above her shoulders. She was as beautiful as he remembered and called out to her, but his voice was unnaturally silent. He took a step forward, and Hinata was pushed back a step. This went on for what felt like an eternity as the distance between them remained the same. They were so close, and yet she was a fingertip away. He started running, his arms stretched out as far as they would go, but still, he couldn't reach her.

Then the ground started to shake.

_'No!'_

Her face became a picture of terror, her eyes as wide as the moon as the ground beneath her feet became less solid and stable. Dirt began to rise as Hinata started to sink into the earth, reaching her shins in a matter of seconds. Naruto's actions became more frenzied, and his voice, despite being silent, became raw as he wore out his throat muscles from his voiceless shouts. In a matter of moments, he was forced to watch as the dirt reached her neck, her body disappearing beneath the ground as her pale eyes looked at him for help.

_'Don't take her from me!'_

His thoughts went unanswered, watching as the face of his wife disappeared entirely, the earth swallowing her body to make it look as if Hinata had never existed at all. Falling to the ground, the sobbing blonde couldn't do anything as he brought down his first repeatedly against the ground, try as he might into forcing it to give his wife back. Each hit fell more silent after the other, until he was little more then a sobbing mess, his face covered in a mixture of dirt, snot and tears.

_Give her back!_

The ground shook again, and he felt the earth beneath his body begin to ripple and move around. Jumping up from the ground, he paced backwards a couple of steps and watched with pained eyes as the dirt began taking the shape of a feminine face. The eyes, the nose and mouth all took shape, with the face being as large as King size mattress. The mouth parted, spitting up dirt and rocks into the air while her eyes burst open with eyes a mixture of moss and coal. Just looking at the face made him fearful and angry at the same time as his hands clenched into tightly bound fists.

"You!" He remembered roaring, his voice returning to him at last, "Haven't you done enough!"

All he got back was a peal of laughter reminiscent of two stones grating against each other. The eyes looked at him through the laughter, the moss growing a brighter shade of green. The laughter went on and on until finally, his rage got the better of him as a rasengan formed in his hand. It grew to the size of a basketball initially, before continuing to grow until it was the size of a small car.

Throwing his arm forward, the A-ranked jutsu collided with the face, destroying its shape and kicking up an explosion, though the laughter continued until it became more a heckle.

The next thing he knew, he was awake and jumping to his feet. Surveying the room after his not-so-pleasant dream, he winced when he noticed the spider-web cracks that now decorated his bedroom. He hadn't realised until now that his chakra must have been leaking while he was dreaming, causing the room to shift as it took a turn for the worst. He was going to need to fix that at some point.

"Well, I doubt I'm going back to sleep now," He muttered, mentally telling himself to add it to the list of things he needed to do around the house. The house he bought was a bit of fixer-upper and hadn't been well maintained by the previous owner. Slowly, he'd been going around the old red brick greek townhouse and turning into a home to be proud of. He didn't like all the new builds you saw walking the streets of New York. He'd grown to appreciate the buildings with a bit of history. The ones with a story to it. This one, in particular, dated back to 1846.

Throwing his sleep clothes to the bed and making his way to the bathroom, he soon found himself sighing in relief as the hot water of his shower doused his body. He felt his stiff joints begin waking up from their dormant state.

_'I hope today's a quiet day,'_ He thought, before humming and reaching for the shampoo.

* * *

For many across the world, New York City was a playground for the wealthy and the beautiful. Any given sidewalk was full of men and women who were more beautiful than the last and wasn't afraid to show off that great beauty. As one of the worlds leading hubs in fashion and beauty cosmetics, mortals from all over the world would flock to grab a piece of the fame that came with being beautiful. Often enough, people would stop and stare at a beautiful woman or a handsome man as they walked passed, their desire reaching the surface, while their minds reminded them it would never be. Sometimes when a celebrity of notable fame was passing through people would flock to them like a pack of rabid dogs.

In this case, the entire sidewalk, as well as the sidewalk across the road had stopped dead in their tracks. Waves of desire hit the mortals like they were being thrown into a head-on collision with a truck as their eyes followed the most beautiful woman and the most handsome man they had ever seen.

With a skip in her step, Aphrodite soaked up the attention sent her way like a sponge soaking up water. Dressed in form-hugging jeans and cream coloured top, her heels clicked along the pavement as she sent a cheeky wink in the direction of a group of men who were too busy falling over themselves to care how stupid they looked.

"I think today's going to be a wonderful day." Aphrodite giggled, watching as a man across the street walked into a streetlight, while an older gentleman was being glared at by his wife as his hands roamed over his chest. The glare didn't last long as the woman soon became transfixed by the man that walked a step behind Aphrodite. His hands were tucked into his jeans, his long blonde hair tied back in a man bun and a pair of sunglasses resting on his head. His upper half was covered in nothing but a form-fitting sleeveless white t-shirt, showing off his muscled and bronze physique and arms that left the mortals a puddle of goo. To a mortal, it looked as if the man had stepped out of Baywatch. His shining eyes held the same joy for life that the Love Goddess possessed, scanning over both the men and women he passed by. His smile figuratively and literally brightened up the sky, as clouds parted to make way for the beautiful golden rays of the sun.

When Aphrodite came barging into his golden temple on Olympus, the God of the Sun didn't need convincing to spend the afternoon with her. Apollo determined from the first day he met the Love Goddess, life would never get boring on Olympus with Aphrodite around.

When the twins of Zeus and Leto arrived together on Olympus, Aphrodite initially had gone to Artemis, trying to woo her with her silver tongue and mould the younger Olympian into another version of herself. Unfortunately for her, she arrived on Olympus not long before they did, but the whispers and rumours about Aphrodite's promiscuous nature had already woven its way into Artemis's ears. The Goddess of the Moon was quick to keep her at a distance. Instead, she chose to side with Athena, and the Goddess of Wisdom had been delighted to take her little sister under her wing and show her the ropes around their godly home.

Though disappointed, Aphrodite instead turned her attention to the younger of the twins and was quick to snatch the young god into her claws. Showing off her immense beauty to the young Olympian, along with Apollo inheriting his father's lust for anything with two legs, it didn't take long for the God of the Sun to become Olympus's biggest playboy. She and Apollo were like two pea's in a pod, as the mortals would say, and she could say he was the god she got along with the most, minus Ares and Hestia.

Granted their relationship did strain for a while due to the whole business between Apollo and Eros, but that was all in the past. These days, when she needed a good night out, or to endlessly gossip about the handsome men and beautiful women she'd brought to her bed, Apollo was her go-to guy.

"Dite, how much further is this place?"

"Not long, my dear Apollo! Not long!" She said, and noticed his pouty face staring back at her, "What's the matter? You're not still mad are you?"

"Yes, I'm still mad!" He waved his hands in the air like a hot-tempered child, breaking the aura of smooth and handsome he loved to expel so much, "Why didn't you bring me with you when you, Thena and Arty went to this place! I had to hear about it from Hermes! And he heard about it from Ares, who heard about it from Dad! I wanted to go too!"

"Honey, it was impromptu and it was a girls day. You are not a girl, and you weren't around. What was I supposed to do!"

"You could have Iris messaged," He mumbled, kicking an empty can to the side of the sidewalk. Looping her arms through his, Aphrodite giggled and patted his cheek. Around them, the male mortals were wishing they were Apollo, while the women wished they were the ones holding onto his bicep.

"I'm very sorry for not including you. Next time, I'll make sure to send you an iris message." She squeezed his bicep, "Forgive me." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, causing the mortals to nearly combust.

His shining blue eyes took one look at her quivering lip before his attitude did a one-eighty. "I can't stay mad at you, Dite. At least, not for long anyway." His attention turned back to the sidewalk, his negative feelings disappearing like they were never there to start with. That was their relationship to a tee. One moment one could be mad at the other, and the next, they were best friends again. "Man, I'm excited. Is this place as good as they say it is? I know nymphs and satyrs tend to exaggerate, but I haven't heard a negative thing from anyone!"

Aphrodite tried not to grin, "Apollo, trust me when I say it will blow your expectations out of the water."

"It's that good!?"

"It's that good! I frenched the owner in front of everyone when he gave me the most delicious entremet of my life!" Even after all the time that passed, Aphrodite could still taste the apple spice on her lips, driving her tastebuds wild with desire. Her smile turned coy, "I heard Artemis has even been visiting him on her own in her downtime."

Apollo gasped at his Olympian bestie.

"No...way!"

"Way, honey. Very way."

"But Lil sis doesn't like anyone! She doesn't even like me on most days!" Apollo could think back to all the times he tried to get his sister to come around and lessen her hate towards men, and each time it blew up in his face like a bolt of lightning to the crotch. To think, some no-name guy mortal with a talent for making good food and coffee's could earn his sister's respect and dare he say...affection. This guy must have been the real deal.

His eyes narrowed, and a pout wove onto his face. _'This guy better not be trying to put the moves on my Lil Sis.'_

Oblivious to Apollo's thoughts, Aphrodite's smile could melt the iciest of hearts."I know, which makes him all the more incredible." They rounded the corner of the street and the familiar orange frame of the Fox's Den came into view. Smiling with glee, Aphrodite pulled Apollo harder, nearly causing the Sun God to trip over his own feet, "There it is!"

It was hard for him to miss, "Wow, that's a bright looking building. It's almost as bright as my temple!"

Avoiding the mortals that were gaping at them, it didn't take long before the Goddess of Love was pushing the door open, and the familiar rich smell of coffee and pastries assaulted her senses. She sighed in pure delight, as the warmth tickled her skin. It was just how she remembered from her last visit. The room was half-filled, mostly by pairs and couples, though a table consisting of a nymph and a satyr stuck out to the pair off in the back. Nothing had changed, and Aphrodite was glad.

Prying Aphrodite's hands off his arm, Apollo was quick to fall into a similar state as his immortal relative. Taking one long whiff of the delightful aroma, Apollo visibly relaxed, "It smells amazing." For a first impression, Apollo was impressed. The Fox's den looked like a place he could frequent. Eyes scanning the room, his gaze was quick to settle on the beautiful nymph dining with the satyr, "Woah! Look at that hottie!" Long dark hair and magenta eyes, he couldn't help but lick his lips at the curves she was sporting. "I call dibs!"

Aphrodite shrugged, her colourful eyes scanning the room for her prey, "You can have her. I'm here for a much bigger fish." It only took a moment before the Goddess of Love found her target, who had his back to her and was in the middle of taking an order from a couple sitting in one of the middle tables. Tilting her head, it was Aphrodite's turn to lick her lips, her eyes staring at Naruto's ass, "Hmm. Mama likes."

Apollo was quick to notice him, "So that's the guy?" He asked, looking Naruto up and down, "Tall? Check. Tanned? Check. Blonde? Check. Great physique if the clothes are to go by? Check. Handsome? Must be if you like him." Apollo went silent for a moment, tapping the side of his chin with his finger, before asking, "Share him with me?"

"Nope!" Aphrodite shook her head vehemently, "He's all mine. Find your own handsome man. Besides, I don't think he swings that way." Shrugging, Apollo turned his focus back on the nymph, who was now eyeing him curiously from the back of the room.

A grin appeared on his face and sent a wink her way. _'Gotcha,'_ He thought, as he watched begin to giggle. The satyr could only groan.

Ignoring Apollo, Aphrodite decided to make herself known to the blonde and silent skipped across the room. Years of practice in high heels had paid off as each step was as silent as a feline, her body weaving through the tables and chairs like a snake in the grass. Ignoring the looks from the mortals, Aphrodite found herself a step away from the Den's owner as he finished jotting down the last of the orders.

Reaching up with her hand, her fingers delicately traced along his shoulders, "Hi there hand-WAAHHH!"

The Goddess of Love couldn't do anything but let out a screech as she found herself being caught by the arm and thrown unceremoniously over the shoulder of her hunky target, her body going slack when it hit the ground with her long hair splayed out around her. Her eyes were wide while her body was spread out like an eagle, somehow narrowly avoiding colliding with one of the nearby tables, though her limbs were grazing a couple of legs of some chairs.

Back with Apollo, the God of the Sun could only gape as he watched an Olympian just get judo thrown by a mortal. If Artemis was here, she'd be rolling on the floor laughing.

While Aphrodite looked up in silent shock as she regained her bearings, a stunned Naruto had frozen on the spot. His mouth was in the shape of an O, as he looked down at the beautiful woman he'd just assaulted by mistake. _'Oh god!'_ He hadn't sensed her coming, nor did he sense the friend she brought with her. He hadn't been paying attention and somehow allowed this woman to sneak upon him. He hadn't meant to throw her over his shoulder. He just reacted!

He'd been sluggish all day, the nightmare from earlier that morning playing over and over again in his thoughts since he left home that morning. He'd made a couple of mistakes that morning, and now he'd made the biggest mistake since he opened.

"Ow, handsome! What was that for!" Aphrodite whined, propping herself up on her elbows and wore a pout. "I was just coming to say hello!"

Shaking out of his thoughts, Naruto quickly crouched down and took her hands into his own, his worry for his customer overriding his nightmare. "I am so sorry! I-I don't know what came over me! Are you okay?" He checked her over, his hands and eyes roaming over her body like a doctor in an Emergency room. "You didn't hit your head or anything, did you?" Around the room, he could hear his customers murmuring to themselves, making the blonde shinobi gulp. This wasn't good.

To his relief, a giggle from the Love Goddess stopped the murmurs. Still propped up on her elbows, Aphrodite had to admit, while this wasn't exactly what she had planned, feeling his hand roaming her body checking for injuries was a good substitution. Lifting a hand, Naruto was quick to take it and pull her back to her feet. "You're lucky your handsome, otherwise, I'd slap you silly. You don't throw a girl over your shoulder, you know." Quickly fixing her hair, Aphrodite then added, "Don't worry though. I'm sturdier then I look."

"Thank goodness." He sighed. Someone with her...power wouldn't have been hurt that easily, at least, he hoped not.

Getting a good look at him, Aphrodite noticed the dark shade underneath his eyes, "You look tired, honey. Have you not been sleeping?" No wonder he was so jumpy.

Throwing up his hands, Aphrodite allowed him to gently guide her over to a nearby table by the window. "Don't worry about me. Come on, I'll show you to a table. Everything is on the house today after that...incident."

"Aww, thank you, handsome! That's nice of you."

Taking her seat, she ushered for Apollo to take the seat in front of her, distracting him as he silently mouthed something to the nymph. Once he strode over, he extended his hand to his fellow blonde, who gathered a pair of menu's for them, "Hey. The name's Apollo. Nice to meet you."

"Urm...hi, I'm Naruto." Naruto replied, scratching the back of his head, "Sorry about what I just did to your friend."

"It's cool. As Dite said, she's tougher then she looks. If she can handle dating someone like my older brother, then she can handle just about anyone. Not to mention, she's survived scrapes with my sister, which is no easy feat." Apollo replied, noting the strong grip from his fellow blonde and the callus on his skin. He must have been a hard worker to attain such hands. "Naruto? That sounds Japanese, right? Man, I haven't been to Japan for a long time."

"That's right."

"You don't look Japanese."

"I get that a lot. Parents with the flare for exotic names."

Listening to Apollo hum, Naruto turned back to Aphrodite, noting what his fellow blonde mentioned, "You're in a relationship?" He asked, before adding, "You weren't with someone when you kissed me were you!?"

Sending a glare to her Olympian bestie, the Love Goddess rested her head in the palm of her hand, her ankles crossing beneath the table, "Don't worry, honey. I guess you could say my relationship status is always open. I'm not the type to get tied down. Just to have fun and see where the breeze takes me if you know what I mean." She winked and giggled as his nervous laugh, "Don't be uptight about such things. It's perfectly natural."

"Right, right. I guess that's true."

Still giggling, Aphrodite opened up her menu, "How about some milkshakes to start? I'll take a strawberry one, and Apollo will take chocolate. I want it just like you made it the last time I was here!"

Smiling and getting over his earlier embarrassment, Naruto gave them a nod, "Sure. Think about what else you'd like, and I'll take some orders down when I come back with your drinks."

"Perfect!"

When he walked away, her foot was quick to kick Apollo shin, forcing the Sun God to wince, "Ow! What was that for! What did I do?"

She levelled him with another glare. What did he do? How was it not obvious! "Why in Hades name did you mention my relationship with Ares!? I'm trying to get this guy into my bed and have my way with him!" By telling him about Ares, Apollo potentially just made it more difficult for her seductions to work. "I swear Apollo if you do something to get in my way of that hunky man, I'll curse you to have the hots for...for Artemis!"

That very threat was the worst nightmare of Apollo and his twin, and the Sun God couldn't help but squirm in his seat, "You wouldn't!"

"You bet I would!"

"That's disgusting!" He shook his head from side to side, "Don't ever say those words again!"

"Then keep this shut when it comes to my past lovers and exploits," She made a zip motion with her mouth and tossed it over her shoulder. "Capiche!?"

Gulping, Apollo nodded like a mad man. He was staying on his female bestie's good side. She could be more frightening than Zeus if given the chance.

The pair sat in silence for a couple of minutes, one humming a song in his mind, while the other frowned, an arm crossed beneath her chest. Both had their heads deep inside the menu, their minds running a thousand miles an hour as they tried to decide what to have. The options were too vast and plenty, and like the other gods that visited, Apollo was sure he had never seen such a wide variety of options before. It was like all the best hits over the years were in this one cafe, and each one was making his godly tastebuds salivate with hunger.

That wasn't the only thing making him salivate in hunger, although this was a different kind of hunger. He looked over his shoulder, and couldn't stop the grin when he noticed the nymph was looking at him from the corner of her eyes. Her petite hands idly picked up the strawberry sitting atop of her cake and proceeded to eat it in a way that would leave most men a drooling mess. Case and point, the red-faced satyr with a front seat view.

_'Oh, man. She wants it.'_ The God of the Sun thought, trying not to be too blatantly obvious by his lust.

For the Goddess of Love, she needed something of equal measure to the apple spice entremet she had last time. There was a couple of dishes that stood out, but nothing felt quite right. She needed something special to brag about to the other goddesses. Oh, she had heard from some of the gossiping nymphs around Olympus about the delightful treats and wonders Naruto had made that D-list goddess, Persephone. Having been turned away from the Fox's Den the last time she visited thanks to that annoying little daughter of Demeter, she got the full scoop and it made her ichor boil with jealousy.

Eyes scanning over the delicacies, Aphrodite halted when she got to the selection of pies. If it was anywhere else, she would have found it strange that a cafe was serving pies of all things, but like the rest of her family, she expected nothing less from the over the top business with a dreamy-delicious owner. A plan began to formulate in her mind, and a cat-like grin took over.

It didn't take long for Naruto to return, a pair of breathtakingly gorgeous milkshakes being lowered onto the table. Like before, Aphrodite's eyes gleamed at the sight of the sweet treat, while Apollo couldn't help but gaze at the perfectly ratioed drink. The sweet smell of the hazelnut chocolate wafted around his nose, and the Sun God couldn't help but bite his lip. He wanted a taste so bad.

"Here's your milkshakes. I hope you enjoy." Naruto said, watching as Aphrodite's face lit up as the sweet taste engulfed her senses. Oh! It was as good as she remembered. In front of her, Apollo slipped into a similar state, ignorant of the chocolate moustache across the top of his lip. He could taste hazelnut chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate. It was an abundance of chocolate in a milkshake-like he'd never tasted before. It was amazing!

_'No wonder Arty loves this place!'_

"So, have you thought about the rest of your order?"

"We have," Aphrodite replied, and motioned for Apollo to go first.

The God of the Sun shrugged. He took one last quick peep from the menu, where one particular dish caught his eye numerous times. "Could I get a plate of the mochi, please?" That little nugget shined like a star in the night sky, his eyes always returning to the list of flavours provided. He loved the stuff, and he hadn't gorged himself on the Japanese delicacy in years!

"Sure. What flavours would you like?"

Apollo pondered for a moment, tapping his tongue against his cheek, "Could I get three of the coconut, three of the pineapple, and three of the green tea?"

"Absolutely. Great choice," Naruto commended, before turning his head to Aphrodite, "And for the lady?"

Giggling, Aphrodite lowered the menu, slyly pushing out her chest and tempting the blonde to sneak a peek down her top. To increase her chances at tempting him, she lowered the strap to her top down to her shoulder, leaving her creamy skin to proudly bask in the sunlight. No mortal or immortal man could resist the temptation to look down a gorgeous woman's top. It was, as the mortals would say, just science.

The Goddess of Love had no competition when it came to her girls. Sure, the other goddesses were decent enough, even Hestia when she wasn't hiding them behind all that brown fabric. However, they were no match for her, despite what they might claim. She was the most beautiful, and the most desired. She did receive the Apple of Discord from Paris after all.

Fluttering her eyelashes, she bit the side of her lip, "I would love to have a piece of your Salted Caramel Banana Cream Pie. It sounds to die for."

Annoyingly for Aphrodite, the hunky blonde brought his notepad closer to his face, blocking out the beautiful view of her exquisite chest and therefore rendering him unaffected by her form. "Sure, I'll bring that out to you shortly. Another great choice."

When he started walking away, Aphrodite scrunched up her face, and let out a loud huff. Damn it! Why was this so hard! Beneath the table, she kicked Apollo in the shin once more, startling the Sun God while he was making googly eyes at the nymph.

"Ow! What did I do this time!?"

"Sorry, but this turning out to be more of a challenge then I thought!" Her eyes became determined, "But don't worry. I have a plan to lure him in, and it's sure to work."

The blonde-haired god shook his head, "Sure, Dite. Whatever you say." He replied, before returning to stare and make gestures at the nymph. He brought up his hands, and with one hand made an O shape, while the other flexed his index finger. Grinning, Apollo began thrusting the finger through the hole and motioned with his head to the restrooms across the room. As great as the milkshake was, the Sun God only had one thing on his mind right now.

Unbeknownst to the pair of Olympians, Aphrodite's attempts had not been a complete failure.

_'Good job, Naruto. You didn't look down. You get a pat on the shoulder later,'_ He thought, trying to control the blush on his cheeks. That woman... he couldn't deny how beautiful she was and how difficult it was being around her. It was like his...he hated to say it, but his libido was getting supercharged. Bringing the notebook up to his face to hide her cleavage had been a swift idea, and tried to rotate his eyes between the notepad and her eyes. Those beautiful, soul-crushing...

_'Damn it! Stop thinking about it!' _

Pushing those thoughts away, he went to the back and readied their order.

Falling back in her chair, Aphrodite did nothing but watch the people in the room. There were a couple of men and women that took her fancy, the couple sitting a few tables away from her, in particular, looked her type. On any other day, she would have walked straight over and threw some fancy words there way and taken them both away with her. Today though, she was intent on wrapping the hunky blonde up in her arms and legs. Maybe she needed to kiss him again? Add a little tongue this time.

Humming to herself, she didn't appear interested when the nymph making googly eyes with Apollo got up from her table and walked past their table. Her finger ran across the Sun God's shoulder and whispered something in his ears. A coy grin appeared on her face, before making her way to the restroom, swaying her hips in a way that hypnotised the Olympian.

After a minute passed, Apollo jumped up from his seat, "Bathroom break. Be back in 10...no, 15 minutes."

"Sure honey. Enjoy." Aphrodite waved her hand and idly watched as Apollo walked across the room and slipped into the restroom. The last thing she heard as the door closed was the sound of a high-pitched giggle and a bark of laughter from the younger Olympian.

From across the room, the satyr slumped his shoulders and left some money on the table before getting up and leaving. Today had been a bust on a godly level.

Five minutes later, as she sipped on her milkshake, Naruto appeared next to her table, a tray in his hand and his ever-present smile on his face. Oh, she was loving that smile. How could she resist? He motioned to the empty on the table, "Where did your friend go?"

"The restroom. I guess he couldn't hold it in." She shrugged and licked her lips as Naruto lowered Apollo's order of the mochi. Admittedly, the Goddess of Love had never tried mochi before, but Apollo had told her all about it. Normally, eastern food didn't do much for her, which led to the Olympian rarely visiting the Far East. Unlike other gods who enjoyed traversing through the world and tiptoeing around the other pantheons, she preferred sticking to what she knew. However, Aphrodite had to admit, the mochi's vibrant colours were catching her attention.

"If I have to guess, the white ones are the coconut flavour?" She asked, and looked pleased with herself when Naruto nodded, "Which means the yellow ones are the pineapple and the green ones are the green tea?"

"Good eye."

"Thank you. I've never had mochi before, though maybe I should try it sometime. I love the colours, and I've never tried eastern food much. Well, except for my favourite Chinese takeout." She giggled.

"Really? Well, next time you visit I'll point out some eastern dishes from the menu, and you could try them?"

"I would like that a lot." Her eyes drifted to the remaining plate on the tray, "For me?"

Nodding, Naruto lowered the dish and presented the goddess with her order, "One Salted Caramel Banana Cream Pie." The Goddess of Love's eyes lit up with glee. The dessert looked positively scrumptious and perfectly proportioned. A layer of salted caramel was drizzled on the top of the cream, to which Aphrodite could smell tickling her nose. Licking her lips again, Aphrodite took her fork and slices of a small piece before bringing it up to her mouth.

"Hmm." A moan of delight erupted from her throat, her eyes closing as she took in the taste. Gods, it tasted good. How the mortal did it, she didn't know. It was like he had the golden hands of the gods when it came to all things pastries and desserts. It was as if Hestia or Hera, or gods forbid, Rhea had blessed him with their culinary talents. She wracked her brain on the possibilities.

"You like?"

"What a silly question. Was the moan not sufficient enough?" Dite quipped, taking another bite and releasing a similar response. Seriously! How did he do it? It was mind-boggling.

Smiling, Naruto gave a short bow, "I'm glad you like it, Mademoiselle."

Giggling, Aphrodite noticed him beginning to turn away and put her plan into action. Digging her fork into her pie, she brought it up to her mouth looking ready to bite down. Instead, she tilted the fork and watched as the piece slid off the fork.

"Oh no! How clumsy of me!"

Blinking in surprise, Naruto turned back, "Huh?" He let out before his eye travelled down and pinpointing where the piece of pie landed. Instantly, his eyes widened and his cheeks gained a healthy rosy tint to them. As planned, the piece of Aphrodite's pie landed in the space between her breasts, slavering cream and crumbs across her skin and drew the attention of all the men in the room. "Oh!"

Instantly, he grabbed some napkins and held them out for Aphrodite to take, while having the decency to look away. "Here, use these to clean yourself up."

"How kind. Thank you," She replied, though her efforts didn't stop there. "Oh no, I think it's gone in my bra. Wait one moment while I fish it out." Delving down, her petite hands disappeared down her top, ensuring that she exposed some extra skin while she fished for the piece of the pie. She could see his will weakening when his eyes kept trying to sneak a peak, though he would look away a moment later.

That wouldn't do. Not at all!

"Excuse me one moment" She turned around and leaned down, jimmying the piece out from her top and hearing it dropping to the floor. At the same time, she heard an array of breaths being sucked in, including one from the person she was hoping to hear. When she turned around, she made sure the lacy little number she was wearing beneath her pants was visible for all to see. Not enough to be distasteful, but enough for everyone's imaginations to run wild. It never failed in getting the blood pumping.

"There it is," She muttered, a coy grin on her face, before masking it into a smile. She looked up at Naruto with a palm resting against her cheek, "What a clutz I can be."

"T-That's okay." The blonde shinobi desperately wanted to get back to his other customers. "I'm going to get back to work."

_Spalt!_

The blonde shinobi blinked in surprise once more and felt something impact his...well, his groin area. Looking down, Naruto found himself staring at the cream and crumb stained remains of a piece of the Banana Cream Pie covering his pants. He threw his hands up, his mouth forming an O shape as he incredulously stared at Aphrodite.

"What was that for!"

Not giving anything away, she feigned shock and grabbed one of the napkins handed to her moments ago, "Oh no! Look what I've done! I'm so clumsy today!" A gleam was in her eyes and leaned forward in her chair. Before Naruto could do or say anything, he found a hand rubbing the napkin over his pants, swatting away the remnants of Aphrodite's desert. "Here, let me get that for you!"

_'Oh god!'_

A chocked gasp came out of Naruto's mouth and the blonde found himself breathing through his nose significantly harder than before. Around the room, jaws dropped at the action, with the men cursing the blondes luck. He tried to put a stop to it but found his hands getting swatted away by the beautiful woman, and felt her efforts hasten twice fold.

_'What the hell!'_ He thought, trying not to feel any sense of pleasure from what he was experiencing. He could have sworn her swipes were becoming longer and more drawn out. _'What is with this woman!' _He was too shocked by her actions to move. He'd never met a woman who was this bold before!

"Y-You really don't n-need to do this!"

"Don't be silly! It's the least I can do!"

"I can d-do it myself!"

"Hold still!"

He tried to backtrack, but Aphrodites other hand grabbed one of his pockets and held on. Around the room, everyone could only watch in disbelief at the show in front of them. For the customers that Naruto had his back to, it looked like the Love Goddess was doing something much more intimate and steamy. Their faces were red like tomatoes.

After a moment passed, the bickering between Naruto and Aphrodite came to a halt with the Olympian looking up at him with a beaming smile, "There we go. All clean." The Goddess of Love threw the napkin to the side and put her hands together in front of her, "I'm sorry for being such a nuisance. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" Pushing her cleavage together, Naruto once again found himself fighting to keep his eyes focused on her face. He wasn't a pervert! He would not give in!

In Aphrodite's mind, the opposite was going through her mind.

_'Give in! Give in! Give in!'_

_Bump!_

"Huh!?"

Both Naruto and Aphrodite blinked at the sound. It sounded like something impacting one of the walls.

"What was that?" Naruto asked, his face turning into a frown. "Did that come from the bathroom?"

"No, No, don't be silly." Aphrodite chittered away, her gaze going between Naruto and the door that led to the restrooms. "It's probably nothing." She put her hands together, and beamed up at him, "Why don't you pull up a chair and we could talk? Wouldn't that be nice!?"

_'Then I can kick my shoe off and run my foot up the inside of your leg.'_ She thought. Thank goodness she had that pedicure this morning!

_Bump!_

"There it is again? What is that?" He asked, his frown deepening, "Come to think of it, your friend still isn't back. Do you think everything's okay?"

_Bump!_

_Bump!_

_Bump!_

"Okay, I'll be right back." Surging forward, the blonde shinobi unknowingly dodged the oncoming hand of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love trying to prevent him from leaving.

_'No! No! No!'_ Her face scrunched up, and resembling a child, began to kick her feet against the air. Why did something have to keep getting in her way! She had an idea of what was creating that sound and knew the moment Naruto went inside, trouble was about to brew. She just needed a little more time to get her man. She could feel his will weakening. She was so close!

_'This isn't fair!'_

She was not hanging around and getting blamed for Apollo's...actions. She couldn't afford to get kicked out or worse, banned for life for being associated with the idiot Sun God. Don't get her wrong, she loved a bit of public voyeurism, and how kinky and exciting it could be. The number of times she and Ares had relations while the other gods were around was uncountable. Hell, the number of times they'd done it in Hera's Sacred Garden while the Queen was tending to her lotus's was in the hundreds!

Don't even get her started on the number of times they snuck into the other temples of her Olympian family and made use of the beds. The unspoken rule of not going in the temples of other Olympians largely went unnoticed with them.

Silently standing up, Aphrodite shovelled the rest of her dessert into her mouth as quickly as she could, groaning in delight as her tastebuds got supercharged. _'Oh god, it's sooo good_!' She followed up by picking up her milkshake, hoping the hunky owner didn't mind one of his glasses going missing. Before making a beeline for the door, she glanced at Apollo's side of the table and noticed his milkshake was still half full and his mochi was untouched.

Making an executive decision, Aphrodite conjured a small Tupperware box and poured the mochi inside. It was Apollo's loss for getting distracted, unlike herself. At least she knew to keep her eyes on the prize. She'd keep his dessert as a treat for herself later on.

_'This isn't over, my hunky blonde chef!'_ She thought. She had plenty of tricks up her sleeve she could call on and would be calling on them to reel Naruto in.

Picking up Apollo's chocolate milkshake, she snuck out through the front door just as Naruto entered the restroom and disappeared behind the door. The last thing Aphrodite heard as she disappeared down the street, two straws in her mouth as her tastebuds overloaded with delicious strawberry and chocolate goodness was a loud yell and a scream curtesy of the Sun God.

It didn't take long for chaos to erupt as a half-dressed nymph ran out from the restroom, a shoe missing and her arm wrapped around her chest. She didn't dare look anyone in the eye and took off out the building in embarrassment.

Moments later, the two blondes came stumbling out of the restroom, one with a look of fury on his face, while the other wore a sheepish expression. Everyone in the room either blushed or looked away when they noticed Apollo wasn't wearing any pants and was pitching a noticeable bulge. His shirt was missing too, lost in the chaos that erupted moments earlier.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Apollo's whined. His right arm was extended in the air, his wrist trapped in a vice grip courtesy of the blonde owner. Damn it! Why was this guy so strong! It was like being manhandled by his sister.

"Get out! Get out! Get out!" Naruto repeated, walking Apollo out of the Fox's Den and pushing him into the street. "Don't ever come back! This is not that kind of establishment!"

"Wah! Bu-"

"No buts!"

Naruto slammed the door shut behind Apollo, leaving the Sun God half-naked in the middle of New York, his jaw-dropping.

He just got banned from ever stepping inside the Fox's Den. The place that created food that left members of his Olympian Family a moaning mess was now out of his reach, all because he couldn't control the thing between his legs.

This was a nightmare!

His hands grabbed his face,_ 'What have I done!'_

* * *

**When I was writing this, I was trying to figure out what kind of relationship Aphrodite and Apollo would have. I'll admit, I haven't got to the Trials of Apollo series yet. I stepped away from Percy Jackson for a few years, but I've recently come back to it. I've finished the Olympian Series, Heroes of Olympus, and the Kane Chronicles. Currently, I'm reading The Hammer of Thor from the Magnus Chase trilogy, so don't be too surprised if some of the Norse make appearances in the future. Back to Apollo and Dite, since they're both fun-loving gods who seem to hold actual love for their demigod children, I thought it would be fun to write them as each other's best friends. It makes for a lot of fun writing.**

**An FYI for my readers. I will be adding love interest elements later on, but I won't be writing any lemon scenes. **

**Thanks for reading Part Vl. Let me know what you thought. **


	7. Part Vll

**What a strange couple of weeks we've all been having. I hope everyone is staying safe during this crucial time. Don't take any unnecessary risks.**

** As always, I would like to thank you all for supporting this story. Over 1000 reviews after six chapters. I can't begin to tell you how amazed I am. Thank you to everyone. **

**This chapter is a bit shorter then the last couple I have posted. I'll be honest with you all, right now, work has been crazy with the Corona Virus situation going on. I work in retail like many others, and I have never felt more tired then I have been lately. Unfortunately, that means I haven't been writing as much as I'd like. I wanted to get this chapter out to you all, but to also inform you all Part 8 might take a little longer to post with everything going on right now. **

**For now, I hope you all enjoy. **

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity **

**Part Vll**

"I can't take it any more."

Blinking in surprise when he heard the emotionless voice, the God of the Underworld and Ruler of the Dead turned away from the reports in his hands and gazed at the figure stood across from him. The reports were the judgement rulings from the Judgement Pavillion, detailing the new arrivals to the Underworld and where the souls of the departed ended up. Looking at the stack of reports on the table beside his throne, it would take him the better part of the day to get through.

Standing in the doorway with a pair of skeletons stationed on either side, his daughter, Melinoe stood in all her frightening glory. Ruling as the Goddess of Ghosts, his daughter opted to wear an appearance straight out of a mortal's nightmares. With half of her face black and hardened like a corpse, and the other half pale and chalky, she looked like a mortal's night terror come to life. In the handful of occasions that Melinoe showed herself to a mortal in her dual form, they would either pass out from fear or suffer a full breakdown.

Most couldn't look past her frightening form, with many in their Olympian family above ground questioning her sanity. Why would a goddess who could take any form she wanted, take a form of something so hideous? Most were not kind, and though deep beneath the earth, Hades heard the whispers about his daughter. The one that always stoked his anger was the one claiming Zeus was her father, fathering Melinoe with Persephone, resulting in her appearance. Oh, how he would love to get his hands on the person who started that one.

Staring at his daughter, his eyebrow-raising on his pale face, "Explain?" It came out more like a grunt then a question.

Walking across the throne room, Melinoe stopped at the platform leading up to the throne of Hades and curtsied to her father.

"You're sulking."

Again, Hades blinked in surprised.

"Excuse me?"

"I said you're sulking." She repeated, her arms crossing in front of her, and leaned on her right leg, "Normally when Mother returns to Olympus for the Spring and the Summer, you become broody and miserable to be around. I've grown accustomed to your behaviour after all these millennia, but this year you've been worse."

Hades couldn't stop the frown appearing, "Do I need to remind you who you're speaking to, daughter?" He asked. His voice was deep, with the walls humming and shaking after each word.

Others would be too afraid to stand in Hade's presence. The Goddess of Ghosts merely scoffed. His daughter's sass was too much like Persephone's. The mother and daughter combo were two of a handful of people that didn't fall prey to the fear that the eldest son of the Titan King extruded. The only people besides them who fell in that category was his elder sister, Hestia, and naturally, his mother. The former Queen of the Titans never failed to see the good in her oldest son, and would often visit him when she decided to come out of her self-imposed exiles.

"No, father, but I have noticed a change this year. Mother's absence appears to be affecting you worse this time than in all the previous ones." Her dark eyes, which were reminiscent of freshly earthed coal gazed into his own, with the goddess taking two steps forward until she stood on the first step of the platform. "I'm not sure why, but I noticed the two of you were all lovey-dovey with each other during the last weeks of winter. Especially after Valentine's day."

"Hmm." The God of the Underworld slouched, a disgruntled hum resonating from his throat.

"So...out with it. Why are you in the dumps?" She prodded, patiently waiting for an answer.

The God of the Underworld was not one to talk about his feelings to anyone besides Persephone, but his daughter's words weren't untrue. Persephone's absence from the Underworld had been harder to accept these past weeks, and the elder god was having a difficult time not feeling his wife's presence by his side. Time with Persephone was always joyous for Hades. Granted, when they first got together the first century of their marriage had been an adjustment for the Spring Goddess. Gone was the green hills and flowery meadows she'd grown up in. In its place, she had to adjust to her new surroundings of Death and Darkness. Everything was foreign and unknown to her. If truth be told, Hades wasn't sure if Persephone could adjust to the lifestyle that came with being a resident of the Underworld.

So, instead of waiting for her to adjust, he made it easier and adjusted parts of the Underworld to help the process along. Her Garden was the first step and proved to be the best positive step he could've taken. He'd seen her eyes light up and visibly noticed the tension between them lessen. When she turned around to thank him, she gave him the first real smile he'd seen her wear. Since then, all Hades wanted to do was make her smile. His fellow Underworld deities, namely Charon, Thanatos and occasionally Hecate when she visited, had all come to accept the Spring's Goddesses presence.

Back to Melinoe's accusations, before Persephone left for Olympus, their marriage was doing good. No, better than good. They'd been doing amazing. Since they returned from the Fox's Den, Hades and Persephone had been in a bubble that neither wanted to leave. It was the best they felt in a long time. It was as if their time visiting the mortal establishment had rejuvenated their marriage, injecting fun and love into the veins of matrimony and made the weight of their godly duties as light as feathers. It was like they were connected by an invisible rope, for neither went anywhere without each other. The other god's residing within the Underworld noticed the change in their Lord and were all pleased for the positivity floating around them.

A happy Persephone led to a happy Hades. A happy Hades led to a happy Underworld and a happy Underworld was good for everyone involved.

"It's nothing," Hades said quietly, his left hand scratching against the armrest of his throne. His hand felt empty without his wife's petite one filling the void. "I feel your mother's absence more this season, that's all."

The Goddess of Ghosts said nothing but she did sympathise with her Lord and father. While she and her mother were two vastly different goddesses, the Goddess of Spring would always find the time to spend with her daughter. Persephone was an attentive mother and could hold back her enthusiasm, unlike the Goddess of the Harvest. For the first couple of centuries, Melinoe acted how a moody mortal teenager would act around their parents. She tried to shrug her off, and stick to the shadows and caves she loved so much within her home. However, Persephone was persistent. She would often say Melinoe acted like her father, being rough and cold on the outside but with a centre that was warm and cuddly. She denied it vehemently, but deep down, her mother wasn't wrong.

It wasn't just Hades who missed the presence of Persephone. The Spring Goddess has become an irreplaceable pillar in their lives.

"I miss her too."

It came out as a whisper, but Hades had heard her words.

"You do?"

"Of course." Melinoe stated in a matter of fact tone, "Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to get out of the Underworld for an afternoon."

"And go where?"

Melinoe shrugged, "No idea, but I'm sure it would be a better alternative to sulking around at home."

"I don't sulk," Hades replied, a frown washing over his face, "I brood. There's a difference."

Melinoe raised an eyebrow, "Not really. Brooding means to think deeply about something that makes you unhappy. Sulking is a form of self-pity and childishness." She told him, before tapping her chin, "Oh! I guess you embody both right now. In that case, stop brooding and sulking and get out of the Underworld for an hour, or four."

"You do remember I'm the parent here? Not to mention the divine ruler of the Underworld."

"Yes, father. So you've mentioned half a million times in the last century alone." Hades hummed his dissatisfaction but didn't voice his annoyance. Perhaps his divine daughter was correct. Maybe he did need to get out of the Underworld for a while. At least, for an afternoon. Every time he entered the master suite of his home, he felt his wife's presence. In recent years, Persephone would leave a bottle of her perfume on her dressing table. The one that smelled like primrose and tulips freshly blossomed in the spring. His wive's touch within their home was everywhere and served to make him feel lower than he already did.

Gods, he missed her.

It was during her absence that his faithfulness to their marriage would often become tested. The Oath of the Big Three that he, Zeus and Poseidon took after World War Two came at the right time. Hades was intent on ensuring his wife was the only one he shared a bed with.

"Thanatos could run the Underworld in my place for an afternoon," Hades muttered. The God of Death was his right-hand man and his trusted ally against the gods of the Greek Pantheon outside of Persephone and Melinoe. He might even say Thanatos was one of a handful of people the God of the Underworld could call his friend. He didn't care much for Olympus, though his friendship with his warmongering nephew was bizarre. Then again, War and Death went hand in hand on the battlefield.

"A reasonable choice, although I could faithfully fill in while you're away." Melinoe reasoned. Thanatos holding down the fort was a good idea but as the daughter of Hades, and having spent most of her life within its walls, she felt there was no one better qualified to look after the Underworld in her father's stead.

"Oh no," He retorted, shaking his head and gazing down at his daughter with certainty, "If I'm going to the surface world, then you're coming with me. Your mother and I talked about the idea of taking you up to the surface more often, and today seems like a good place to start. If I have to go, then so are you."

"What!?" Her voice raised a few octaves and her mouth parted into an O shape, "I have no desire to journey to the surface world! I'm needed here! I have important duties to attend to!"

A snort broke out of Hades, and saw through her words, "If you call scaring the mortals that occupy the Fields of Punishment with your entourage of ghosts, then all the more reason for you to come with me." The God of the Underworld gave his daughter a look, "You've become a creature of habit. It might do you some good to get outside every once in a while. How many times can you scare Tantalus and Sisyphus until it starts getting old? You've been doing it for centuries."

The goddess puffed out her cheeks, "This is about you and your sulking! Don't turn this around on me!"

"Brooding," Hades reiterated, "It might have started that way, but now I think this could be good for both of us. Some fresh air might do us good."

"But I-"

"No buts, this is happening. Besides, your mother would kill me if she found out you and I weren't spending time together." A wicked grin smirk washed over his face, "If your mother can handle being out of her comfort zone for six months on Olympus and forced to spend time with my airheaded sister, then you can survive a few hours in the surface world. You haven't left the Underworld in nearly a decade."

The Goddess of Ghosts tried to speak, but no words were coming out of her mouth. How did her father manage to turn this around and make it about her!

"You need to get out more, my daughter."

_'This isn't happening!' _

* * *

Looking through the menu provided, Hades could feel the glare coming from the other side of the table. His daughter was angry at him. The Goddess of Ghosts had sparsely spoken a word since he all but dragged his gloomy daughter out of his palace. She attempted to make a break for it and hide in one of the many caves that she had set up around the Underworld, but Hades had been faster. Treating her like she was a little goddess again, the eldest son of the Titan King threw his daughter over his shoulder and carried her away. The act was enough to shock her for a mere moment, before beginning to curse him from behind. Her protests went ignored, though he let out a grunt when she dug her knee into his shoulder. It got worse when they passed Charon, who laughed at Melinoe's expense. Even the mortal souls being ferried across the Styx pointed at them and got a kick out of her situation.

Most wouldn't have imagined the God who many referred to as 'The Silent One', 'The Rich One', or his personal favourite, 'The Father of Fear', would do such a thing. It was such a... dare he say, intimate thing and very unlike a god with the reputation he carried. However, Hades would argue that despite that reputation, he was still a father, and as much as Melinoe drove him crazy, he did love her. If Hades wanted to embarrass his daughter in front of other gods, then that was his right as a parent. He knew ole thunder thighs on Olympus did the same thing to his children when he got the chance and the same with Squid-for-brains down in Atlantis.

Embarrassment. A parent's greatest weapon against their children.

"I want to go home."

Her words made him sigh, and Hades peered over the menu to look at her. Gone was the half pale, half corpse form she wore around the Underworld. Instead, his daughter wore the look she was born with. From the day she was born, Hades marvelled at the similarities between Melinoe and Persephone. Every little detail, whether it was her nose, her chin or the shape of her eyes. They screamed Persephone. Her eyes were a mismatched pair, with a blue left eye from Persephone, and an intense black eye inherited from himself. The feature was a rarity amongst the gods, though why she hid them was a mystery to him. Her skin was pale, much like himself and her dark hair was untidy but beautiful, falling in messy ringlets from the bun it was tied in.

Her clothes were another matter entirely and couldn't have been more different from Persephone's. She wore dark jeans with rips around the knees and shins and her feet with covered in top-of-the-line converses that didn't have a spec of dirt on them. Her top half was in a black beetles t-shirt and a leather jacket that fit perfectly around her petite frame.

If he recalled, the mortal's called this being 'punk.'

He sighed and shook his head. He didn't understand kids and their angsty feelings.

"Too bad. You're staying, so you might as well have a look through the menu. It might surprise you."

"Father..." Melinoe leaned forward, "The front of the building is orange! It makes Apollo's temple look like a piece of art in comparison. Who in their right mind would paint the front of a building ORANGE!"

Hades held his hand up. He wouldn't refute the colour of the building dug into his skin. The bright colour went against everything he represented. "Believe me, Melinoe...I know."

"Then tell me why are we here?"

"Because you said I should get out of the Underworld, and this is where I want to go. I...like this place." Gods, that was hard for him to say. "The food here is top quality stuff, and the drinks aren't half bad either. Those desserts your mother and I brought home with us on Valentine's day were from here."

He gestured to the room.

When he and Persephone returned from their outing on Valentines Day, they stopped in to visit their daughter before retiring to their chambers for the evening. Melinoe had taken one bite before she devoured the portions of desserts they brought for her. The fig teacake was gone before the elder god could blink. Hades had to give her his portion, listening to her whine until he gave in.

Gods, why were the women in his life so skilled at wrapping him around their fingers.

"That was from here?"

"It was."

The Goddess of Ghosts swallowed hard, and Hades noticed her visibly relax in her seat. Maybe it wouldn't be a terrible idea to browse through the menu and see what they offered. While she wasn't a glutton, Melinoe did enjoy the odd treat here and there. The desserts her parents brought home with them had filled her necessary sugar requirements for weeks. Not to mention, the moment she walked inside the quaint little cafe, she felt her body relax as the scent of freshly brewed coffee filled her nose.

"Perhaps staying for an hour wouldn't hurt." Her curiosity was peaking, "Mother has good taste with these types of establishments. Maybe I will like it here." She picked up the menu and flicked to the first page, ignoring the frown on Hade's face.

"Your mother's taste? I'm the one who brought you here."

"Against my will, and I bet it was Mother's idea to come here. Which means, if you like it, it's only because she dragged you here in the first place, right?" There was a quip in her voice. The type that women used when they knew they were correct.

On the other side of the table, Hades kept silent and drifted back to the menu.

_'Damn brat.' _He thought. She had her mother's wit too. Looking at the menu, he flicked the page back to the one with the list of coffee's,_ 'Hmm, Amaretto flavoured coffee. How did I miss that first time round?'_

The father and daughter sat in silence, ignoring the hustle and bustle from the mortals around them. It didn't look to be a busy day. Plenty of tables and booths were vacant, though plates were still half-filled and mugs were half full.

_'I wonder why.'_ He thought, giving Melinoe a flat look. The Goddess of Ghosts had been in such a mood that her divine power started leaking from her control while they walked the streets of the West Village. Though it wasn't close to the level the God of the Underworld could exuberate from his form, it was enough to make people shake in their shoes. People on the street avoided her like the plague, running in the opposite direction. Storefronts closed their doors to keep her from walking in.

The moment Meilnoe stepped inside the Fox's Den, the room felt them appear. For once, Hades wasn't the one scaring people away. Melinoe gave the mortals, nymphs and satyrs a single cold stare before half the room got up and bolted out the door, bowing to them as they left. Knowing where the menus were kept, Hades grabbed a set before sitting down in the middle of the room.

"Mr Underhill," He heard and looked up to find the familiar blonde making his way over to the table, "I didn't think I'd be seeing you so soon! Welcome back."

"Underhill?" Melinoe mouthed, but Hades waved the question away.

The shinobi of old sensed the man coming but had been too busy keeping the clones in the kitchen occupied. Moments earlier, one of the clones succumbed to boredom decorating a carrot cake and decided to mess with one of the others. One cupcake to the back of the head was enough for an argument to break out, one which the original needed to see to himself. The last thing he needed was for a dozen clones spilling out of the kitchen to the clientele.

"Thank you," Hades nodded up at Naruto politely and shook his hand.

Pen and notepad appeared in Naruto's hands, "I see you found the menu's."

"I remember noticing where you kept them. I hope you don't mind."

The blonde shook his head, "Not at all." He looked over and found Melinoe staring up at him, an equative look on her face, "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met." He offered his hand, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the owner of the Fox's Den. It's nice to meet you."

She eyed him curiously. She was a bit put off when he kissed her knuckles, an action he used when meeting Persephone for the first time. "It's nice to meet you too," Melinoe replied quietly. She tilted her head. Her mismatched eyes stared into his sapphire-like ones.

"This is my daughter, Mel-" Hades started, but remembered the faux names Persephone gave them during their last visit. Thinking on his feet, Hades hoped Melinoe wouldn't be too insulted, "My daughter, Megan."

"Your daughter!?" Naruto's eyes widened and stared at Melinoe. He leaned his head back, taking in her features as his smile grew wider, "Yeah, I can see the similarities between her and Mrs Underhill. If I didn't know any better, I would have said they were sisters."

"We get that a lot," The God swept a hand through his hair, "Persephone was...young when she had Melinoe. That and good genes."

"That must be it." Hades heard, ignoring the glare Melinoe was sending his way. His daughter wasn't keen on her alias.

_'Tough luck. If I have to wear the name Hank, then so can she.'_

"So...where's the Mrs today?" Naruto asked, glancing away from his notepad and pen. In front of him, Hades sat with the menu in his hands, his dark eyes peering up at him from the corners. As always, Hades was dressed in an immaculate black suit, though a dark red pocket square sat in the breast pocket. A skull ring made of gold wrapped around his index finger. The ring had been a gift from his wife after their wedding anniversary. The Goddess of Spring loved her jewellery, and while Hades was happy to accommodate with his endless supply of riches at his disposal, she surprised him one year by gifting him with the ring. Despite being the Queen of the Underworld, Persephone was not into the whole skulls and darkness look, despite how much he enjoyed the way it. "Nice suit by the way. Armani?"

"Thanks and a good eye." Hades praised, "As for my wife, she is...otherwise occupied. Away on business."

"I see," the blonde replied, "When's she coming back? It would be great to see her again."

"I'm sure you are," Hades said, lacking surprise in his voice. Persephone was well-liked by most she came into contact with, "Well, you may catch a glimpse of her from time to time if you're lucky. She splits her time between our business ventures and her family. Half the year she's with me, and the rest she's with her family and their business. She works closely with her mother."

"I see." The blonde caught wind of the way Hades spoke about Persephone's mother, "Let me guess. You and your in-law's don't get along?"

The God of the Underworld snorted, as did Melinoe. The Goddess of Ghosts sat quietly and listened as her father spoke with the mortal. It was strange watching a mortal have a normal conversation with her father. The man practically invented the word fear, and this guy was none the wiser.

"That would be an understatement," Hades replied. His hand toyed with the ring on his finger, twisting it around and rubbing the face with his thumb. "Her mother despises my very existence. She holds me responsible for anything that goes wrong in her daughter's life, as well as her own."

"She sounds like a real piece of work."

"She is."

Though silent, Melinoe agreed with her father. Her relationship with the Goddess of the Seasons was non-existent. Despite her appearance resembling her beloved and favourite daughter, Demeter had never reached out to her and Melinoe was never sure why. Her feelings towards the goddess were null and void. She didn't hate her, but she didn't feel any love for her either.

"Well, my father-in-law used to be the same way. He wasn't keen on me at first. Thought his daughter could do better, but he came around over time." Naruto shared. He pictured Hiashi in his mind, wearing his famous stern scowl and Hyuga robes, "He was a tough nut, but I wore him down. Maybe your mother in law will change one day?"

"It's unlikely, but I respect your optimism," Hades said back, his dark eyes scanning Naruto's blonde ones, "I think...I'm ready to order. Meg?" He couldn't stop his lips from twitching in a smirk when his daughter huffed her annoyance.

"Yes, I think I'm ready too."

"Then...ladies first." Naruto looked at Melinoe and patiently waited for her response.

Taking a final look at the menu, the Goddess of Ghosts placed it on the table, "Do you serve breakfast food all day? Or is it strictly for mornings?"

"I do them all day."

"In that case, I'll get a stack of pancakes. Could I get half with blueberries and the other half with chocolate chips?"

"Sure." He jotted the order down, "Would you like a pot of syrup on the side?"

The dark-haired goddess nodded. The options were in the corner of the menu, and one stood out to her, "The Orange-Maple."

"You got it." Jotting it down, he finished by asking, "And what would you like to drink?"

"A coffee, please. Two sugars with cream."

"Nice and simple. I like it." He sent a smile her way, and the goddess couldn't help the edge of her lips twitch up. Across the table, Hades noticed it too and felt his lips twitch up, "And for yourself?"

His turn, Hades copied his daughter's actions by folding the menu and neatly placed it on the table, "I think I'll take the amaretto coffee." His dark eyes glanced up at the blonde, "I don't remember that on the menu last time."

"It's new. I added it the other week. So far it's been a hit with the customers."

_'Naturally,'_ The God thought. Hades doubted anything on the menu was going to leave someone dissatisfied. If Gods like himself was pleased by what the blonde presented, then mortals were a no brainer. "With the coffee...I think I'll have the same as my daughter. Could I have maple syrup on the side please, and could I add banana's slices and bacon with my pancakes?"

The blonde nodded, "You can. Great pick."

"Thanks."

Taking their menu's, Naruto gave a short bow," I'll be back with your orders shortly."

The pair nodded and watched as the blonde got to work. Hades turned to his daughter, "Well?"

"He seems...nice. For a mortal anyway. I can see why Mother likes him."

Hades hummed, "Your Mother has a soft spot for mortals with manners and talent." He admitted, "It's not often I meet a mortal, much less a mortal man who doesn't appear bothered by my presence. Most would turn tail and run in the opposite direction. It's a refreshing feeling."

"I'm sure it is." The fear her father excluded from his powers could force mortals to have a heart attack on the spot if not controlled, "The inside is nice too. Though, it could use some darkening. Maybe black walls, or a dark purple. Some candle's replacing the lights would give it a more rustic and Victorian theme."

"One of your favourite periods if I recall. You spent many years mingling with the mortals back then."

Melinoe shrugged, "Everyone was so easy to scare back then. Ghost stories were everywhere, and victorian houses were perfect for haunting. Mortals were very gullible back then. It was my paradise." She sighed and leaned in her chair, "Victorian England was so much fun. Giving them nightmares was so easy back then and manipulating their mind to make them see things that weren't there was second nature. The mortal world got boring afterwards."

"If you behaved yourself, then you could have enjoyed it for longer. Do I need to remind you that if left to your own devices you would have exposed us." Hades reminded. A stern tone was laced in his voice, "Let's not forget about that incident with your half-brother."

Rolling her eyes, Melinoe let out a grunt, "You're never going to let that go, are you?" Her father sired a demigod during the height of the Victorian era, and the son of Hades had been a budding doctor back in the day. His talent and craft were enough to impress their father. It was rare to find a demigod son of Hades whose profession in life was saving lives, rather than taking them.

Melinoe, on the other hand, saw it as a chance to have some fun with her half-sibling. Unseen from the shadows, she slowly plucked away at his sanity and didn't understand the damage she was imposing until it was too late. To say it didn't end well would be an understatement.

"You tormented your brother's mind for years, and it twisted him into Englands most infamous killer. You got carried away, and in the end, Artemis and her hunters had to hunt him down and put an end to him before he took any more lives." The elder wrinkled his nose, "I'm not one to give credit to one of Zeus's brood, but her actions were necessary, and she was right to take action."

It didn't help that one of the women he killed had been a daughter of the Love Goddess. His interactions with Aphrodite was limited, but she'd given him an earful at that year's Winter Solstice. As annoying as she was, she did care for her children and the unjust death of one had earned him her ire for years.

"I remember." Melinoe said quietly, crossing her arms and showing signs of remorse, "I got carried away by the fear, and I didn't see what it did to him before it was too late. I've never let it happen again since then. I know not to get carried away." Her torment on the demigod was not her best moment.

She regretted her actions. She would take it back if she could. She let her fun get carried away, and it ended with lives taken and her father dragging her back to the Underworld.

Across the table, Hades nodded and clasped his hands together on the table surface. "In all fairness, compared to the bad deeds of the rest of our Olympian Family, I'd say your track record is rather good." The Gods of Olympus were far from perfect, and Hades included himself in that list. Even Persephone had moments she wasn't proud of. Some of the things the gods did to mortals, whether intentional or otherwise, were hard to imagine. In truth, the stories the world knew about them was barely scratching the surface when it came to their history with mortals, "One blip is far better than anyone else in our family, excluding Hestia of course. I'd say your slate is cleaner than most. I'm proud of you for not turning out like the rest of your Olympian cousins."

Swallowing thickly, his daughter let out a small hum. Hearing praise from her father's lips was rare, and Melinoe tried her hardest not to stare owlishly at him. Maybe it was this place? It was making her father...dare she say...sociable?

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

Adjusting herself, Melinoe sat cross-legged on the chair, something her mother frowned at when sat around the dinner table, "No reason. Though, I'm starting to think your beginning to turn sappy in your old age."

"Watch it. Otherwise, this old man will spank you in front of every mortal in this room."

"You wouldn't dare."

"I really would."

Melinoe humphed, though the edge of her mouth was tugging into a smile. Her old man could be bizarre sometimes.

Falling quiet, the goddess turned her attention to their patron and eyed the blonde as he prepared their drinks. As the Goddess of Ghosts, her divine power when it came to the Underworld was dwarfed only by her father. Her mother not so much, with Persephone's powers tied closely to the fertility of the earth. She adopted the powers of the Underworld, meanwhile, hers and her father were born with them. With her connection to the Dead, and her divinity connecting to the spirits and ghosts houses between the walls of the Underworld, she felt when the souls were ruffled. When she was above ground, and when she focused on an individual mortal, she could feel all those tied to the people who rest within the Underworld.

This man's ghosts were old. Very old.

Older than she ever sensed in a mortal before.

It was bizarre.

Melinoe hummed again, _'It's strange. Every ghost and spirit that passes through the Underworld creates a thread, an attachment that links back to me. As the goddess who looks over the domain of ghosts, I can feel the threads stemming from him that link back to the Underworld, and I can feel the threads attached to people in the Underworld. The ones they share a bond or strong feelings towards in whatever form that takes.'_ Her frown deepened, '_I can't put my finger on it...but the ghosts tied to him are old. Older then I've ever felt. I'd have to make a trip passed the Judgement Pavillion to find anything concrete.' _

There were many levels to the area the souls of the mortals were kept and split into three sections. They were the Fields of Punishment, the Asphodel Fields and Elysium. A fourth existed and was known as the Isle of the Blessed. The number of souls that resided there was few and far between.

The Underworld was always expanding, making room for the influx of souls daily. In mortal terms, it was like a highway with new intersections forming and leading off to new area's housing souls. The further down you went, the older the souls that resided there.

Her gazed returned to her father,_ 'If my suspicion is correct, then Father hasn't noticed.' _She made a tsk sound with her mouth and looked away from the elder god,_ 'Honestly. He's become complacent in these years of peace. He can't see what's right in front of him.'_

There didn't appear to be any evil intent. It was the opposite. The man had been a gentleman since her arrival and put her at ease. However, the blonde man presented a mystery for the Goddess of Ghosts and Melinoe wanted to unsolved the enigma that was Naruto Uzumaki.

Putting a pin on her suspicions, Melinoe straightened up when the blonde made a beeline for them. Gently placing two cups of steaming drinks on their table, Melinoe was quick to grab the handle and bring it up to her lips, "Woah, hold on." She heard and felt Naruto lean in next to her, "It's hot, so make sure to blow on it first. I don't want you burning yourself."

Her cheeks flushed at the statement, and she didn't need to look at her father to know he was smirking. She wasn't a child!

Reigning in her embarrassment, she gave him a subtle nod, "Of course. Thank you for warning me." Smiling, Naruto left to finish up their order, while Melinoe held up a hand to her father, "Not a word."

"I didn't say anything."

"Then stop thinking too loud."

"I don't think that's a thing."

Growling, Melinoe ignored her father and did as the mortal suggested. Gently blowing on the top of her coffee, Melinoe let ou a low hum of delight as the warm liquid passed through her mouth and down her throat. Gods, that was a good cup of coffee. The goddess didn't like her coffee too strong, but the way the blonde mixed it was perfectly proportionate to how she liked it. Not too sweet, not too bitter and with the right amount of milk.

Perfect.

"That's good."

"Hmmm."

Surprised, Melinoe looked at her father, a hum of contentment reverberating from his mouth as he took a long swig of his amaretto coffee. His shoulders visibly slumped against his chair and watched as he tilted his head back and let out a sigh of relief. "I needed this," She heard him say to no one and watched as a genuine smile tugged at his lips.

'Well, I'll be.' This place did help her father relax. Not even the most qualified masseuse her mother had on standby in the Underworld could make the God of the Underworld sigh in contentment to such a degree.

It wasn't long before Melinoe felt the mortal's presence at the table again, this time with two identical plates in his hands. Lowering both to the table, Melinoe tried and failed to stop her tongue from slipping out her mouth, salivating at the pancakes like a dog with a juicy bone. They looked delicious and were stacked six pancakes high. Warm butter sat in the centre of the top pancake, with the yellow substance melting through the top layer. If Melinoe had to guess, he made them moments ago, since the chocolate from the chocolate chips were still in the process of melting. The goddess could only imagine the warm and gooey goodness that awaited her tastebuds.

'I can barely wait.'

Hades was in a similar state. Both father and daughter were eager to dig in.

They didn't have to wait long. The second Naruto turned his back, Hades and Melinoe poured each of their syrups over the top of the pancakes. Somehow, they restrained themselves until the syrup flowed on each side of the stack. Before long, they were digging their forks in their meals.

As soon as the pair felt the food hit their divine tongues, it was like fireworks going off inside their bodies. It was like their tastebuds were assaulted on every side of their being, an unrelenting wave of fluffy sweetness. Hades knew what he was in for, but Melinoe was caught off guard and couldn't stop her face from contorting into an expression of pure radiance. If one looked closely, you could see her pale skin gain a hint of colour to it, and a dust of gold spreading across her cheeks. Beneath the table, Melinoe was tapping the floor with her shoes like a dog having its chin scratched.

_'Oh my god.'_ She thought, falling against the back of her chair while her hands continued to cut off pieces from her pancakes. _'I've never tasted anything like this before. The best chef's in the Underworld has nothing on this.' _Her home had the best of the best from every profession imaginable. On many occasions, her family would pluck a soul or two with exceptional skills to bedazzle them with their talent. In her long life, the Goddess of Ghosts could answer honestly and say no mortal had ever made such a meal this amazing. It was no wonder her parents liked this place. If this was the kind of food you received every time you visited, it was no wonder it attracted such attention.

She bit her bottom lip, keeping a guttural moan from escaping her throat.

The god and goddess stayed at the Fox's Den for most of the afternoon, ordering plate after plate of the pancakes and racking up a stack big enough for the other customers to take notice. Whatever foul mood Melinoe was in when she arrived earlier that day was gone and found herself enjoying her time in the mortal world for the first time in over a century.

Hades, though his mind lingered on his wife, felt his misery subside. He was planning a future visit with his wife when she returned to Underworld in the Autumn. _'Maybe the owner could create some Halloween-styled food for us. It's Persephone's favourite holiday, so I can only imagine what kind of delicacies the mortal will create.'_ A bubble of excitement sparked to life in his chest, and Hades could only wish the spring and summer months would pass by quickly.

In the middle of the afternoon and making small talk between bites, Melinoe's gaze would repeatedly return to Naruto, watching him quietly as he continued his day. As impressive as his culinary skills were, her interest in the mystery that revolved around him increased.

To have such a powerful and emotional connection with the souls of the Underworld was unusual.

_'Just who is this guy?' _

A mystery presented itself, and Melinoe intended on finding some answers.

* * *

**As always, thanks for reading everyone. **

**I wanted this chapter two serve two purposes. One, to bring back Hades. I loved writing Hades and Persephone, and bringing in Melinoe was something I'd been throwing around for a few weeks. I wanted to show Melinoe as a perfect combination of her parents since we only get a brief appearance from her in the Sword of Hades. I love the idea that her personality is that of a sassy teenager. **

**After this chapter, I want to mix it up a little. The last thing I want is for each chapter to feel the same as the last, and get repetitive. **

**The second purpose was to begin planting the seeds of Naruto's origins and life being revealed. Originally, Hades was going to be the one to sense something off about him but I switched to Melinoe when I started writing her. With Hades, it makes sense that things could slip through the cracks. and sometimes Melinoe is the one who picks up on things like that. Given her connection to ghosts, I like the thought that she can sense the emotional ties between the living and the dead. Sensing Naruto's emotional ties with his past loved ones, it would catch her attention. As you might suspect, we will be seeing more of her in the coming chapters. **

**As I said before, stay safe everyone. Please review and let me know what you thought. **


	8. Part Vlll

**As always, thank you to everyone for reading this story. I hope everyone is well and staying safe in this crazy world right now. **

**I hope you all enjoy**

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity **

**Part Vlll **

"Prepare your bows!" The voice belonging to Zoe Nightshade, lieutenant of Artemis, and veteran member of the Hunters of Artemis carried itself across the pine grove deep inside Forest Park. She stood to attention off to the side of the Hunters Camp, her hands clasped together behind her back like a drill sergeant. Her dark eyes were focused and emotionless, scanning over the group of young girls that stood in a single file line. Each girl was upright, their feet shoulder-width apart, and toes pointing in 90 degrees at the target dummies set up thirty meters away from them. All of the inanimate objects looked like pincushions, dozens of arrows sticking out from them. Th girls all dressed identical, with a silver parka jacket and green camouflage pants. Their hair was all braided, with some flicking over their shoulder and others resting along their spine.

"Yes, Lieutenant!" Like they trained for, each girl kept a relaxed grip on the bow handle and nocked their arrow with their other free hand.

"Remember to position your fingers on the string with the index finger above the arrow, and keep the middle and ring finger below it."

Following her instructions, the girls all did so in unison.

"Do not grip the arrow with your fingers. Pull back the string using your back muscles, not your arm," Zoe warned, "Pull back until your index finger is under your chin and the string touches nose and lips. Once your comfortable, use your dominant eye to line up the shot."

The girls did as they were told and steadily began lining up their shot with the dummies. It took a matter of seconds before Zoe was pleased with what she saw. The newest members of the Hunt had come a long way in the last couple of months. This time a month ago, she was still showing members like Eloise and Lucy the proper stance when preparing to fire an arrow.

"Relax your grip on the string and allow your fingers to slip backwards. After shooting, maintain your body position until I tell you."

Ignoring the tickle on the tip of her nose from the chill, she stood still as the familiar sounds of arrows whooshing through the air reached her ears. A smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. Was there a better sound in the world than arrows gliding through the air? If there was, she didn't know what it was, nor did she care for it. Gazing across the archery field the hunters temporarily created for themselves, she examined the training dummies now filled with arrows.

Two in the left lung. One in the shoulder. One to the kidney. One that would have sent the targets intestines spilling across their lap. The final arrow hit its target directly in the right eye, with zero chance of survival.

_'Not bad. Not bad at all.'_

Nodding, Zoe walked onto the field and faced the waiting hunters. They were all still in their shooting positions, waiting for her to give the order to drop their stances.

"Okay girls..." Silence hung over them as they eagerly awaited her verdict, though their faces gave nothing away, "Good job. Drop your stances."

A sigh of relief rung through the field, and Zoe was forced not to roll her eyes as half of the lineup dropped to the ground, their arms and legs splayed out like a star. The others remained standing, though their shoulders slumped in exhaustion.

"Ow. My fingers are killing me!"

"Who knew shooting arrows could be so exhausting!"

"I've got blisters on my blisters!"

"If they thought that was bad, then they have no idea what they've signed up for." Zoe didn't bother turning around, recognising the voice of the only member of Artemis's hunt who's tenure expanded passed her own. Whereas Zoe's tenure with the Hunt was over two thousand years, Phoebe's was even longer. Somewhere around 2500 years if the ginger-haired hunter's count was correct. "I hope they know that I won't heal injuries as trivial as this."

"I'm sure they know. As Hunters of Artemis, it's expected of them to be aware of what injuries dictate the attention of our medic." As a daughter of Apollo and one as old as Phoebe was, there wasn't many who's knowledge in the healing arts surpassed the larger girl. Though there was no love between the daughter of Apollo and the God of the Sun, there was no denying the demigod had inherited her father's aptitude for medicine, which included her inheritance of Apollo's vitakinesis abilities. The ability to manipulate the healing process was a skill few children of the Sun God were lucky to inherit, and the demand for such individuals was high where ever you went. To this day, Phoebe was the only one Zoe was aware of who was still alive. None of the Sun Gods current batch of children at Camp Halfblood had yet to prove themselves capable of the skill. "I've made sure to drill that into their heads."

"I have no doubt."

Clapping her hands, Zoe drew the attention of the six hunters back to her, "Pick yourself up, girls. Training might be over, but the day isn't, and I know you still have chores around the camp to complete." A groan rang out between the girls and forced the lieutenant of the Hunt to narrow her eyes, "I wasn't asking if you wanted too or not. It's that, or bathing the wolves in the nearby creek."

Suffice to say, the threat of bathing the wolves was enough for the six to back peddle from their groans and made a beeline for the camp a short distance away.

A snort came from Phoebe who shook her head, "Sometimes, I wonder about the girl's milady allows in joining the Hunt. I don't remember Atlanta, or Alessandra, or anyone from the old day groaning about such trivial things. It's expected for the members of the Hunt to pull their weight, and not force their sisters to carry their workload for them. It's like girls from the current era can't do anything but groan about every little thing."

Zoe couldn't help but agree. The girls of the modern world were vastly different from the ones that existed in the old day. Back in ancient Greece, humanity needed to learn vital skills to survive. Men and women needed to know how to hunt for their food, whether that be tracking a deer or fishing in a nearby creek. They needed to know how to forage for medicinal herbs and explain what made one deadly and made the other lifesaving. Build a fire, stitch together their clothing, learn to wield a weapon of some kind. Every day was a battle, and those who got through another day could enjoy the small victory of surviving longer than another.

Then again, she could also accept that the way of life was vastly different. The world had grown in a way that no one could have imagined, not even the gods. No one could have expected things like healthcare, supermarkets, and televisions would ever exist. While it was nice to have these luxuries in life, Zoe felt they made the new girls that joined the hunt lack a drive that hunters like herself and Phoebe possessed.

"The world has changed. It's not the same one we once knew."

"Ain't that the truth."

Arriving back to the Hunt's latest campsite, the lieutenant and medic stood in the centre and watched as the Hunters of Artemis carried out their chores. More then a dozen silver tents were set up in the shape of a crescent moon, with a fire set up in the middle with logs big enough to seat five or six girls to huddle on in the evening. Like most evenings, the girls would spend their downtime sitting around the campfire, a giant bag of smores courtesy of Lady Hestia to share getting passed around. If she was lucky, she could get her hands on two, maybe three before they all disappeared. The Hunt didn't have many luxuries, but Zoe counted the treats as one of the few.

At this moment in time, the Hunt numbered precisely three dozen girls, ranging from the ages of twelve to sixteen. The most populous the lieutenant remembered the Hunters of Artemis reaching was around fifty, but that had been years ago. That was back in the old day when nymphs and other beings of nature would join them in their adventures. These days, nymphs stuck to their natural environment, and often the Hunt was comprised with little more then demigods, and clear sited mortals. Their number always fluctuated. Some would leave willingly, having fallen into the pitfall trap of falling in love. Others would break their vows and take a dishonest approach. As kind as Lady Artemis was for giving young girls somewhere to call home, she didn't tolerate her trust being abused and broken. Some though gave their lives for the hunt, and their souls rested together eternally in the Underworld.

As grateful as Zoe was for her long life, the sadness of watching friends die never lessened.

Before she could get lost in her thoughts, a light appeared from the centre tent. Across the camp, everyone stopped what they were doing as the light dimmed, and the zip to the centre tent began opening up. The moment Artemis appeared, everyone in the camp took a knee, their heads lowering as they showed respect to their patron and adoptive mother. As she often would, the Goddess of the Moon reverted to her thirteen-year-old form, the average age of her hunters.

"Milady, welcome back." Zoe greeted, being the first of the girls to get back to her feet and approach the Olympian. One by one, the girls around the camp followed suit and returned to their chores and duties. Phoebe copied Zoe's actions and approached the auburn-haired goddess.

"Zoe, Phoebe," Artemis replied, smiling at her veteran and most trusted huntresses, "Training with the girls was a success I hope?"

"Yes, milady. I'm happy to say none of the girls missed the training dummies this morning, and I saw no visible flaws in their stances."

"Good. As always, you have done a splendid job with the recruits." When she wasn't around, it was Zoe's job to keep the girls on their toes. The last thing Artemis wanted during their breaks between hunts was the girls becoming complacent. The newer girls, in particular, needed to keep training until everything felt like second nature. "I trust none gave any attitude?"

"None, Milady. I have ensured they know what will happen if they do not follow orders." It was safe to say no matter how respected the lieutenant of the Hunt was amongst her sisters, there was a healthy amount of fear when it came to the veteran huntress.

"Glad to hear it."

Quietly watching the exchange, Phoebe frowned when she noticed something off about the goddesses appearance, "Milady." She motioned to the corners of her mouth, "You have something around your mouth." Did the goddess have crumbs around her mouth? And flecks of icing? The red-haired daughter of Apollo recognised the residue instantly, having seen Artemis devour an entire tray of cookies curtesy of Lady Hestia on many occasions. The Goddess of the Moon thought no one was looking when she swept through the sugary treats, but in reality, they couldn't help but gawk in wonder at their patron's extreme sweet tooth.

Embarrassment consuming her, Artemis swiftly turned around and hurriedly wiped away the crumbs from around her mouth. The pair could hear her mumbling beneath her breath, something about chocking out the stupid blonde when she saw him next, and how dare he refuse to tell her she had food leftover on her face. Was she talking about Apollo? Or maybe Aphrodite? Neither knew of anyone else who could get such a response from the Olympian.

Blinking like a pair of owls, Zoe and Phoebe looked at each other silently, before turning back to Artemis. "Is everything alright, Milady?"

"Yes! Yes! Everything is fine."

"Were those crumbs around your mouth? Cake crumbs?"

"Uh...yes they were. I treated myself to piece of cake earlier." The goddess admitted, "It was delicious. You know how I get with sweet treats. The whole world disappears."

"I see." Zoe's face morphed into a frown, "May I ask where you disappeared too? I don't remember you mentioning where your intended destination was." She didn't want to say anything before, but recently, the lieutenant of the Hunt had noticed her Olympian patron and adoptive mother disappearing more frequently than usual. Often Artemis would leave her in charge of the Hunters when she needed to attend a meeting of the Olympian Council, or if the goddesses were convening for one of their meetups. Often, their goddess would meetup with Lady Athena and spent sisterly time together, and the hunters were all for it.

Lately, these visits were becoming more frequent. Not only that, but Artemis would also go for hours at a time. Sometimes, the whole afternoon. Beforehand, Zoe wouldn't have said a word. She would have done her duty and kept her nose out of her Lady's business. However, this was the second time this week Artemis vanished without telling someone from the Hunt where she was going.

She wanted to bite her tongue, but Zoe hoped her fearless leader wouldn't be insulted by her curiosity.

"I went to a cafe in West Village."

Oh? That was easy.

"The West...Village?"

"It's one of the districts in New York...I think." Phoebe added, though her face looked confused like Zoe's, "I'm not big on the layout when it comes to the concrete jungle."

Give them a week in the forest rather than an hour in a city like New York. New York was too populated for either of their likings. Too many people, and not enough room to move. Not to mention, the city that never slept was full of...men. Yuck. The thought made them want to vomit. There weren't enough arrows in the world to poke them full of holes.

Moving back to the topic at hand, Zoe squeezed her hands together in front of her, "Is there something special about this place, milady?" It was special if it caught Artemis's attention.

"Honestly, Zoe, it's become one of my favourite places recently." Clapping her hands loudly together, she drew the attention of every hunter at camp, "Which is why I would like to make an announcement." It took half a minute before every young girl in the Hunters of Artemis were gathered around the Moon Goddess, "I know we've only been here a few days, but I'd like to announce we'll be on the move again tomorrow."

The announcement made a noticeable impact as the hunter looked at Artemis in surprise.

"Are we really, milady?" One of the Hunters from the back row asked.

"That's right, Miranda."

"Are we going on a new hunt?" Another asked, and Artemis identified the person who spoke as Lisa, a member of the Hunt for over two hundred years, "What are we hunting next Milady?"

"Is it the Minotaur?"

"No! Let's go after the Manticore!"

"The Manticore!? We did that last year. There's no way it's reformed already."

"How about a real challenge? Like the Nemean Lion?"

"Nah! Let's chase after the Teumessian Fox! It's been over a century since we last saw it!"

"I say we look for a cyclops!"

"A Drakon!"

"No! The Hydra!"

"Girls! Girls! Settle down," Artemis laughed, failing from keeping the smile off her face. Their eagerness to chase after monsters and sent them on a one way trip to Tartarus was admirable. It made her swell with pride at their bravery to face such creatures in combat. "Your eagerness is admirable, but we won't be hunting after anything. At least, not for another week."

The face's of her hunters dropped, and some pouted. Even Zoe and Phoebe looked disappointed they wouldn't get to slay any monsters. "Oh. Then what are we doing?"

This time, it was Artemis's turn to hide her excitement. "Well, I thought since it's been a successful year of monster hunting so far, and to celebrate gaining new sisters into the Hunt, I would treat you all to the best hot chocolate in the world. I'll even throw in some of those delicious cookies I brought back with me a month ago." The box's of baked goods the blonde owner had provided her with before Hermes little prank had gone over famously with her hunters. Even Zoe had been unable to help herself and binged half a dozen cookies within a minute of opening the box.

"Really?" Excited chatter broke out amongst the Hunters. When their lady treated them, she went all out. They all remembered the box of goodies Artemis had brought back to the camp with her, and how big of a hit they were.

"That's right. However, it does mean we'll be heading into the city. The establishment I've been visiting is in the West Village of Manhatten." She noticed the faces of her hunters sour somewhat. Her hunters were not keen on cities, though would push that inside when it came to hunting a monster. "You might feel this is out of the blue, but I hope you come to enjoy this place as much as I do. It provides a warm and safe atmosphere that I'm sure you'll all enjoy. The owner of the Fox's Den is a good person."

"Do they make cakes, Milady?"

"The best you'll ever taste. My sister, Persephone and my Lord Uncle have visited too. Hades left with a smile on his face."

The Lord of the Underworld and Ruler of the Dead smiled? The ruling thought in all the hunter's minds was how it was even possible. The few that had seen the God of the Underworld looked like he never cracked a smile in his life. Before now, they weren't sure he knew how to smile.

"Woh!"

"Whoever this woman is, she must be one accomplished chef to gain such attention. I, for one, am excited," Zoe words made Artemis smile and nodded at her lieutenant as she and every other hunter all bowed to Artemis in thanks. So loyal were her hunters, and forever grateful to the kindness she gave them. However, before she could get too excited, she noticed an issue with Zoe's statement.

"I should clear something up," Artemis waved her hands in front of her, in a nonchalant-like fashion, "The owner of the cafe is not a woman."

The excitement came to a sudden halt.

"Not..a woman?"

"That's right."

"But Milady, that would mean..." Phoebe asked, before trailing off into silence. Slowly, Artemis nodded and kept a close eye on the facial expressions of each girl. Some were shocked, and other's had their jaws hanging from their mouth. Her older hunters, like Zoe and Phoebe, wore expressions of frosty indifference and disgust, and their eyes spoke volumes, despite no words coming out of their mouth. They all had their reasons for their dislike or hatred towards men, but she hoped they were willing to give Naruto a chance as she did.

_'This...could take some convincing.' She thought, before sighing as chaos erupted within the Hunters Camp._

* * *

_'Not long now,' _Naruto thought, his arms crossed against his chest as he looked out through the glass window of the Foxs Den. The inside of the Fox's Den was empty apart from himself, with the last customer leaving nearly an hour ago. The closed sign was visible on the door, but the inside spoke the opposite with all the lights still on, _'Artemis doesn't strike me as someone who shows up late.'_

The auburn-haired woman had been visiting him more often than usual, and the last time she visited, which was two days ago, she came to him with a request.

_'Please, keep the Fox's Den open later than usual and let me bring my girls with me. I'd like them to try the amazing food._

He saw no problem with that and was quick to say yes. He liked the auburn-haired woman, and their chats when she visited never failed to make him smile. In a way, she reminded him a little of himself. She worked tirelessly to make young women feel safe, and give them the strength to stare cruelty, and abuse in the face and give them an ass-kicking. If he could help out and put a smile on their faces for one evening, then he would give it his best shot.

_'Though, she did say not to get my hopes. These girls aren't fond of guys.'_ Her warning rang through his head. What level they hated guys was uncertain, but he had an inkling of an idea. Fond, might not be a strong enough word for it. If it was how he was picturing it, then he might have his work cut out for him. _'Nonsense! You're Naruto Uzumaki! You can get through to everyone if you work hard enough!'_

Despite his age and his weariness to the world, he was still a spring chicken at heart. His belief in hard work and possessing the guts to persevere wasn't snuffed out yet. His Will of Fire was still burning and thought it wasn't as bright as it once was, he could feel it within himself. His goal was to make these girls smile, and by god, nothing was going to get in his way.

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he regretted it.

From the corner of his eye, a figure sat three tables down from where he stood. They were dressed head to toe in a dark, almost muddy green robe that churned and shifted, and left little skin revealed. The robe swept around the figure's feet and covered their arms down to the tips of their fingers. Not a single feature was visible thanks to a veil made of dust and sand, tucking her hair away from view but it was clear the figure was that of a woman. Only one feature was visible for him to see.

The eyes.

_'You,'_ He thought, looking at her from the corners of his eyes. She took many forms over his lifetime and was quick to recognise her current state. Focusing on his senses and reaching out around the area, he let out an uncharacteristic grunt, "You're not here. You're just a figment of my imagination." Clenched at his sides, he felt his fingernails close to breaking the skin of his palm.

The figure didn't say anything back to him. Instead, all the woman did was look at him with condescending eyes. From the way the skin shifted and crinkled around her eyes, he knew she was smiling beneath her veil. He could picture it in his head, and it took every ounce of willpower for the old shinobi not to power up a rasengan and drive it through her form.

"Leave. I won't ask again."

He closed his eyes and took soothing breaths to steady himself.

Half a minute later, when he opened his eyes and looked back to the corner of the room, she was gone. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth, and he leaned on the window with forehead resting against his forearm, "Thank god. The last thing I need is picturing that woman tonight of all nights." It didn't matter where he went in the world. That woman tended to follow him wherever he went, whether in reality or his mind.

Shaking the moment off, he pulled himself together when he sensed a large group of individuals heading straight for him a few blocks over. There were three dozen heading towards him, all of whom had connections to nature. They were similar to what he sensed from nymphs but at the same time, different in the sense that they felt more hostile. Wood nymphs felt to him like peace wielding hippies, wanting to spread the love for the good of the forest. This group, on the other hand, felt like warriors of the forest ready to protect it against invaders who sought to harm it with anything pointy they could find.

_'Here they come,'_ He thought, before making any last preparations.

* * *

"I don't like this," Phoebe muttered, walking a step behind Zoe as they led the procession of hunters through the streets of New York. As ordered by Artemis, the Hunters had relocated the following morning and set up a new camp in the centre of Central Park. The campsite was concealed from mortals with the mist, thanks to the actions of Chelsea, a daughter of Hecate. Before leaving their camp, the Goddess had ordered them to leave behind their weapons. One because she promised them safe travel to the Fox's Den, and two, she didn't want any of her livelier hunters to get any ideas concerning their host. Though disappointed, the girls complied, despite how naked they felt without their bows and hunting knives.

Even their clothing was different. Though the theme was still silver and natural forest colours, the girls looked more like a group of regular young women, instead of monster hunting, semi-immortal huntresses.

Zoe made a tsk sound with her mouth, but couldn't help agreeing with her comrade and friend. She wasn't looking forward to being in the presence of some man. Even if, according to her leader, he made the best hot chocolate and cake in the world. It was hard for Zoe to believe anyone was that good. Much less some mortal man.

She would have to see it and taste it to believe such a thing.

"I'm not looking forward to it either, but this is what Lady Artemis has asked of us. It's a treat for the Hunt, even though it doesn't necessarily feel like one."

"Remind me again why Lady Artemis is meeting us there later?" It seemed strange that the Goddess of the Moon wasn't travelling with them. Often, Artemis had to reign them in where they wanted to get creative when a male walked passed them. Then again, the Olympian was responsible for the abundance of jackalopes throughout the North American Continent. Either way, even without their weapons, the Hunter's was adept in hand to hand combat when needed.

It wasn't hard to take down a man. One swift kick to the junk was usually all it took.

Gods, Phoebe loved kicking guys in the junk.

"As our Lady stated before she left, she will be joining us later with Lady Athena. They had a meeting with Lord Zeus earlier this evening." Zoe eyed Phoebe, "You know she can't turn her Father down."

"I guess."

Zoe patted her friend on the shoulder and looked behind them to check the rest of the Hunt was still following, and none had wandered off, "I think we're close. Lady Artemis said we would know it when we see it. She says it stands out against the other buildings."

"What does that mean?"

She shrugged, "I have no idea. I guess we'll know once we see it."

"Are we there yet?"

"No!" Zoe looked back and stared at the hunter that spoke, "Don't start that again, Tracey. We get there when we get there."

Huffing, one of the hunters crossed their arms and pouted, "Fine!"

Walking through the West Village, it didn't take long for them to arrive at their destination. Like Artemis told them earlier, it stood out, but not for the reasons they had imagined. They were picturing some kind of sign with neon lights. They weren't expecting to see a building the brightest shade of orange imaginable. Even in the dark, the street lamp did a perfect job is displaying the outside of the building.

"Oh, gods. Please tell me that's not the place we're going to." It was Phoebe who spoke, voicing the sentiments of every girl in the hunt. Despite not being typical girly girls, even they had to gawk at the bold choice of colour. Why would someone do such a thing?

Zoe wanted to agree, thinking there had to be some kind of mistake. There was no way their Lady Artemis would visit such a place. Alas, when Zoe spied the sign hanging over the doorway, her feelings sank.

"I fear it is." She muttered, before taking a deep breath and gathering her strength, "Come on, let's get this over with." An audible groan resonated form the Hunters, but together, they followed their lieutenant.

There were few cars in the street that evening, and crossing the road had been a piece of cake for the group of three dozen girls. They got strange and curious looks coming from some of the passersby, but a collective glare from all the girls quickly sent them on their way. The last thing they needed this evening was to be stared at by strange men. They might not have their weapons, but anything pointy, be it a plastic spoon could be a weapon in their hands.

"Okay ladies, here we go. Best behaviour." Zoe reminded them and pushed the door open. A familiar jingle ran through the air as the warmth of the inside engulfed her. Like many before her, she couldn't help feeling like being cocooned in a blanket. Before long, the familiar aroma of freshly made hot chocolate tickled her nose. Only seconds to being inside the Fox's Den, Zoe Nightshade found herself trying not to unconsciously licking her lips. Behind her, the other Hunters all had a similar experience, though some were more vocal than others.

"Wow! Smell that!"

"That smells heavenly."

"Maybe this place won't be so bad after all?"

"Look at the tables!"

The voice prompted all the girls to look as they made their way inside. On every table, multiple cups of hot chocolate were waiting for them, each with a small mound of whipped cream sitting on the surface. A bonus, the girls spied rainbow sprinkles on the whipped cream, along with two small pieces of gingerbread sitting on the saucer. If that wasn't enough, in the middle of each table, a tray filled with bite-size desserts were waiting for them, sitting neatly in rows of seven.

One of the Hunters stepped forward and looked down at the tray, "So cute!" She muttered, letting her eyes scan each one, "There's so many here! There's Carrot Cake! Red Velvet! Coconut! Victoria Sponge! Chocolate! Coffee!" She stopped at the last one. The last bite-size cake was cream coloured, with a drizzle of dark-amber sauce. Licking her lips, she delicately picked it up and threw it in her mouth, just as Zoe was about to stop her.

"Wai-"

"Hmmmm!" The hunter groaned out, making the rest of the girls stare at her in surprise. "Oh my god! Girls! You have to try these! I've never tasted anything this amazing before. Get over here." She ushered them over, and one by one, some of the girls followed suit. They each mimicked her actions, and moments later, the girls all started to gush over the food. The tray, filled with treats, slowly started vanishing as the girls grabbed anything they could get their hands on.

The more subdued hunters watched their sisters turn into animals as they reached for the sweet treats and slowly made their way to the other tables. Zoe led them past, idly ducking out of the way from a stray elbow. Trying to appear more civilised than the younger hunters, the experienced hunters split into groups of four, taking a table between them and took their seats. Sitting down, Zoe found herself sitting with Phoebe, Celyn, and Amaya. Celyn had been with the Hunters of nearly three hundred years, while Amaya joined barely a century ago. Despite her youth compared to the rest of the table, she was a formidable warrior, working her way up the ladder before becoming one of their best fighters.

"So, who wants to go first?" Phoebe asked, taking her mug of hot chocolate. She could deny it looked and smelled amazing. She didn't want to voice a compliment to something a male made, but the smell was whetting her appetite more than the ones Lady Hestia would make them when she visited. Such a thought was ludicrous. The treats and beverages Hestia made for her family were legendary.

"Perhaps we can all go together?" Celyn replied, mimicking her senior comrade's actions. It didn't look poisoned, and it sure didn't look like someone has spiked it with something nasty. As someone who sadly had been on the receiving end of a spiked drink back in the day, the huntress would be on her guard if offered something by a member of the other sex.

Taking deep breaths, one by one, the four women brought their cups to their mouths. They took one last look at each other before letting the hot drink funnel its way into their systems. The result was instant as their eyes widened as if a unicorn farting rainbow and sprinkles from its behind appeared before them. A chocked gasp came out from Phoebe, and befoe the robust girl could realise what she was doing, she was necking the whole drink down her throat. Next to her, Celyn and Amaya weren't any better, with Amaya covering the top of her face as she took delicate sips. The dark-haired girl wanted to savour her drink. Celyn was in the same boat as Phoebe, with drops of hot chocolate splashing against her silver jacket and leaving a trail down her chin.

Beneath the table, Zoe's hand clenched. She hadn't taken another sip, but her body wanted nothing more than to take another swig. She didn't want to praise a man, much less a mortal man. Gods, it tasted so good. The other tables were in similar states, while the younger hunters on the other side of the room had moved from one table to another, picking away at the tray of mini-cakes.

Speaking of the mini-cakes, Zoe's gaze travelled to the tray sat in the middle of the table. For the lieutenant of the Hunt, her gaze drifted to the coconut cakes. Only a handful of people were aware of her weakness to anything remotely coconut flavoured. To her, nothing could beat the taste and had long conversations with her patron during the evening when it was only the two of them sitting around the campfire. If she could, she would lather every item of food with coconut. In her mind, it made everything all the sweeter. It was perhaps the only thing from her Father she was proud to inherit.

Gulping hard, the other girls watched as Zoe reached out and plucked one of the coconut flavoured mini-cakes from the tray. She brought it up to her face, looking it over to make sure nothing looked like it didn't belong. It wasn't only drinks that could get spiked. A moment passed, and the veteran hunter decided to bite the bullet. Taking one delicate bite, the other's watched as her mouth went into action and chewed on the sweet treat. Within moments, an explosion of coconut ran rampant over her tastebuds, forcing the huntress to slump in her chair.

Everyone in the room looked at her. Her expression started to morph, and the girls watched as their lieutenant internally tried to fight against expressing a look of pure joy. In the struggle, her face contorted into a look one related with when sat on the toilet.

"It's..."

"I thought I heard people out here." The room stopped what they were doing and turned to the swinging door behind the counter. Carrying a large tray of freshly baked cookies, which the girls all noticed and unconsciously licked their lips over, the blonde appeared from the kitchen with his usual smile, "You must be Artemis's girls." He tried not to laugh when he saw their faces. Not one of them didn't have crumbs or chocolate staining their faces.

Ignoring the overload of goodness, Zoe swallowed her coconut mini-cake and changed the expression on her face. She wouldn't let this man see how much she enjoyed the sweet treat. A mask of frosty indifference returned to her face, one that was mimicked by the rest of the Hunters. They took in the man's appearance, and couldn't help noticing how much like a child of Apollo he looked. Phoebe, in particular, levelled him with a frostier glare. Despite being a child of Apollo, Phoebe held no love for her demi-god and godly siblings.

_'Lady Artemis told us he wasn't a demigod, but still,'_ Zoe thought, straightening her back as the man walked around the counter, _'He carries the features of a spawn of the Sun.'_

Their eyes briefly followed the tray of cookies as he put them down on the counter, and levelled them all with a bright smile, "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Artemis has told me a lot about you girls, and I was pleased to hear she was bringing you all to visit." His eyes travelled across the room, appearing to Zoe that he was searching for someone. "Speaking of Artemis, where is she? I thought she was bringing you all here?"

Seeing his confusion, Zoe broke the frosty silence that hung over the Hunters, "Lad-Miss Artemis," She corrected herself, remembering her Lady informing her of the story he created for the mortal, "Will be joining us later. She had family matters to attend to first. She will be arriving later on with La-Miss Athena."

His mouth formed an O shape but nodded nonetheless. He walked across the room, weaving his way past the tables until he stood in front of the table Zoe sat around. He looked at Zoe, his eyes running over her and tilted his head when the huntress narrowed her eyes at him and felt her sisters level him with frostier glares that before. Though her weapons were back at the camp, she was already visualising what she could use to batter the blondes face. She had a couple of options. The mug? The tray the cakes were on? Her chair? She could flip the chair over with her foot and break one of the legs off.

_'He wouldn't see it coming. Maybe in the eye? Or the chest? Plenty of options.'_ She thought.

His fingers clicked, and pointed at her, "You must be Zoe."

"Huh?" She blinked in surprise.

"I said you must be Zoe. You look how Artemis described, and I can't help noticing the air of authority you have compared to the rest of the girls." He replied, his smile widening and showing the whites of his teeth, "She said your the one in she puts in charge when she isn't around, and I can see why. Your guidance counsellor has nothing but positive things to say about you."

Silently, Zoe nodded, though was thinking,_ 'Lady Artemis...talks about me? With this man?'_

"She talks about all of you." He revealed, slowly melting the icy visages of the young women, "Every time she visits, our conversations always turn to you girls. This one time, she spoke about you all for nearly 30 minutes, talking about a trip to Yellowstone you all went on. Her smile was so wide I could have fit an entire cake in there. She's like a proud momma bear, and you're all her cubs. It's sweet to listen too." He looked across the room and watched a couple of smiles twitch to life.

_'Lady Artemis...talks about all of us?' _They always knew Lady Artemis cared for them, but to hear from this mortal man that she spoke about them so frequently to him warmed their hearts. Despite the kindness and guidance that Artemis showed them, the knowledge that they were more than her wards and followers often slipped their minds. When Artemis took them in, she was taking them in as her children and showing them how to survive in the wilds of the world. Before she came along, none of them would have lasted a week without her training. Sometimes they forgot they were more than her followers. Artemis adopted them and took them in as her children. She took them out of their pain lives before the hunt and gave them a place to belong.

It was a debt they could never pay off.

As the blonde spoke, one Hunter, in particular, caught his attention. She stared at him, her dark eyes never leaving his face, and it took him a moment to realise she was focusing on his lips. Thinking back on his conversations with Artemis, a tidbit of information had slipped through the crack.

_'Ahh, I see.'_

Keeping his smile in place, he took the tray of cookies and placed them on Zoe's table, "I finished baking these five minutes before you arrived." He made a motion with his hand, ushering the girls to take a handful each, "Don't be shy. Get them while they're still warm. I promise they won't disappoint." To prove his point, he took a bite from one, and let out a low hum of his own when he tasted the chocolate chips, half-melted from the heat. It was enough to get some of the girls moving, while others slowly followed after.

A mirade of hands appeared on the table. Some took one, while others took a handful. Overall, the cookies ended up being a big hit, and the blonde felt elated at how happy they looked.

Zoe didn't move immediately, though a hand slowly crept forward and took one from the tray. Her eyes narrowed, _'What's his game? Why is he acting so nice?'_ Next to her, it was clear on Phoebe's face despite his earlier words she wasn't buying what he was offering. Her expression remained an icy visage.

"Are you okay?" Zoe asked, leaning in to whisper in Phoebe's ear.

"I'm fine." She replied though it sounded like a grunt. Gazing down to her hands, Zoe noticed the strain Phoebe was putting on the arm of the chair and could hear the creak coming from the wood. Out of all the women in Artemis's Hunt, it was safe to say Phoebe's hatred towards men went above and beyond even her own. Despite the roles that men played in the world, the red-haired daughter of Apollo couldn't see them as anything more than a plague that she wished could be snuffed out.

Phoebe's past was marred in trauma and pain, inflicted on her by men she thought she could trust. Few in the hunt were made aware of her story, which including herself, Apollo, Artemis, and Celyn. She suspected some of the other gods of Olympus were aware, but few ever dared to visit the Hunt. When around men, Phoebe's whole personality closed up, and in its place was a woman who would sooner shove a knife through the eye of the man in front of her. Zoe, at times, could be civil when asked.

"We don't have to stay long. Once Lady Artemis returns, we can return to the camp separately if need be." All she got back was a grunt. Her old friend was not in the mood to talk.

Taking her eyes away from Phoebe, she looked around the room. Despite her worries, the man had yet to try anything funny, though that didn't mean she would be taking it easy on him. He may have gained Lady Artemis's trust, as crazy as that appeared, but that didn't mean he'd earned hers. She watched him slip away into the back, and this time bring out another tray, this one filled with puff pastries with some kind of chocolate twisting through the dough. It quickly gained the attention of the hunters, and like before, her sisters surrounded the tray and made a grab for the beautiful-looking delicacies.

_'As much as hate to think it, they do look delicious. There's no harm in taking one.'_ She thought, leaning in and taking one into her hand. Unconsciously, she licked her lips and brought it up to her mouth, but stopped when Naruto moved to face Amaya. Judging by Amaya's expression, she wasn't expecting the blonde to turn his attention on her and watched as the black-haired girl leaned back in her chair when Naruto crouched down in front of her. To Zoe's, and Amaya's surprise, Naruto placed the tray of puff-pastries on the other table and started moving his hands.

"If it's easier for you, I can communicate with you this way. I could see you were paying attention to my mouth."

The surprise was evident on everyone's face, though none were more evident than the reaction on Amaya's face. After a moment of stunned silence, Amaya followed Naruto's lead.

"You can speak American Sign Language?" 

The blonde shinobi nodded, "I can, and we can speak this way if you have any questions you'd like to ask me, or if you have any requests."

"Requests?"

"Do you have any desserts, or drinks you like? I can even make breakfast food if that's what you'd like." He signed, inwardly smiling when she saw her tense shoulders starting to relax. She looked sceptical at his statement. Was this true?

"Anything?"

Again, he nodded.

"Anything."

The young huntress thought for a moment before answering, _"Cinnamon Buns?"_

The blonde shinobi nearly felt his knee's give out when he saw the hopeful look on her face. The expression reminded him so much of Hinata that he blinked three times, before letting out a laugh. Cinnamon buns were his late wife's favourite food in the world. No matter what he made for her, cinnamon for Hinata was ramen for Naruto. It beloved to her core.

The action confused Amaya, who signed her confusion, "What's so funny?"

_"_Nothing," He signed, though a few chuckles escaped his lips, "Nothing at all. I'm very familiar with cinnamon buns. I'll bring you a fresh batch from the back." 

The girl tilted her head, "Won't that take all evening?" She asked. She wasn't familiar with making the sweet treats, but she was aware of the time it took to make.

He waved her question off, "I've always got stuff prepared, so don't you worry about a thing. You'll be up to your eyeballs in cinnamon buns if that's what you want."

* * *

"I swear Father holds those pointless meetings with us just to spend time with us," Artemis muttered, her face stuck in a pout the moment she and Athena exited their father's temple on Olympus. Within the first five minutes of the meeting, Artemis could tell it was one that didn't need to happen. Her father was complicated at best, and while she loved him as a daughter should, he could be unbearable when he was bored. The meeting went from the pair providing him with their monthly updates into a ramble about pointless things, which escalated into watching a movie in his theatre room.

Next to the Moon Goddess and dressed in mortal attire, the Goddess of Wisdom could only hum in agreement, "It's how he always been." To say Zeus treated his daughters differently compared to his sons was obvious, even to a deaf and blind man. When it came to his sons, Zeus acted as the strict parent who layed out the rules of his household on a marble tablet and expected those present to follow them. In fairness to the King of the Gods, his Olympian sons didn't make life easy, nor were they the type to follow the rules expectantly. Ares was a bloodthirsty bully who started needless wars. Apollo was a slacker who seduced mortal women to his bed most nights, though Zeus wasn't innocent in that category by a long shot. Hermes, though a hard worker, had a streak as a joker that often got him into trouble. Dionysus was a useless drunk who didn't deserve his godhood 364 days of the year. The only son that rarely gave him trouble was Hephaestus, who was a shut-in and a hermit. The only time they saw the God of the Forge was during the Summer and Winter Solstice. To see him outside of those meetings was a rarity.

Athena recognised her father needed to be hard on them. If he didn't, they would walk all over him. Artemis and Athena, however, he scarcely had to discipline them and bring the hammer down. Athena and Artemis, in Zeus's eyes, were still his little girls, despite Artemis being 4593 years old, and Athena nearing 4700 years old. The two goddesses had spent centuries being gushed over by their father, and admittedly they used that to their advantage to get what they wanted. However, in return, they had to tolerate Zeus's constant doting.

Having the king of the Gods wrapped around their pinkie fingers had its benefits, but it also had its consequences.

"It's over now, and he likely knocking on Hera's doors trying to find his way back into their marriage bed." Artemis quipped, though knowing her step-mother and Aunt, she would inevitably let him inside, "Now we get to reap the rewards for the night."

"As long as your huntresses haven't burned the place down yet. I'm waiting for the scent of smoke to tickle my nose and the fire engines to pass by."

"My girls would never do such a thing!" Artemis replied, "I told them how great the Fox's Den is, and how Naruto is one of the few good men in the world. I have the utmost trust in my lieutenant to keep the girls in line while I'm absent."

A single eyebrow rose on Athena's face, turning her head to look at her younger sister, "It's her I would be worried about the most."

"Zoe has her moments, but her patience and tolerance towards men have increased over the years."

"Really? The same Zoe Nightshade that killed a squad of Roman soldiers for cutting down a couple of tree's days before the Battle of Abritus?"

"Those trees were the homes of some nymphs friends of ours, and the soldiers were disrespectful to the forest."

"The same Zoe Nightshade that kicked a demigod off the White Cliffs of Dover back in the 1500s?"

"He was shouting and was drunk. Not to mention, he hurt animals for fun, and that's a big no-no in my book."

"The same Zoe Nightshade that cut off a mans ear for enjoying a hot dog too loudly back in the 70s?"

Artemis went to speak, but instead, slumped her shoulders, "I was hoping you might forget about that one."

"I'm the Goddess of Wisdom, dear sister. I don't forget anything."

Holding up her hands, The Moon Goddess pouted, "Okay, okay, I'll admit, Zoe's temper still gets the better of her from time to time. However, tonight I have the utmost faith in her. I know she won't let me down."

Laughing, Athena patted Artemis on the shoulder, "I'll take your word for it, sister. I've been waiting for this all day."

"You and me both."

Walking along the sparsely crowded streets of West Village, the two Olympians had memorised the quickest route to the Fox's Den as they made small talk. A couple of minutes later, the familiar orange-frame of the building came into view, and both hastily stepped up their footsteps.

"Well, I don't smell any smoke and nothings on fire. I guess your lieutenant was able to hold to her word." Athena muttered and snorted when her younger sister blew a raspberry her way like a child.

"I told you so." She replied, and threw the door open, "Come on. There's cake in here with my name on it."

As always, the scent of coffee and pastries tickled their senses. This time, however, the delightful aroma was followed by the sounds of music and laughter across the room.

"Your arms need to be more relaxed!" They heard from across the room. The two Olympian sisters found themselves look upon a sight neither expected. Even Artemis, who was confident her Hunters would enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the Fox's Den, couldn't do anything but gawk at the picture in front of her. In front of her, the newest members of the hunt, which included Eloise, Tracey, Lyanna, Amanda, Lucy and Mya stood in a line up with the tall blonde owner and proceeded to show him a dance routine the six had been working on in their spare time. All six girls were giggling and smiling as Naruto tried to mimic their movements, moving his hips in conjunction with his arms in the opposite direction.

"What did you call this again?" She heard him asked, his face a mask of concentration as he tried to get the movements right, "Flashing?"

"Flossing! We came up with it weeks ago, and we're turning it into a thing!"

"A thing? What do you mean?" The blonde shinobi bit his lip with the two goddesses hearing him mutter a curse underneath his breath as his hips fell out of sync once more with his arms.

"You know, like a trend. We're going to put in on the interwebs!"

"The internet, Lucy."

"Yeah, that!"

"I'd prefer if you didn't do that, girls," Artemis announced, making herself known along with Athena. "We've got more important things to do then making dance videos for the World Wide Web."

"Milady!" Zoe announced, moving from her seat and bowing to her patron goddess. She seemed to forget they were present with a mortal, but the last twenty minutes had baffled Zoe's brain. She'd never witnessed members of the Hunt having fun with a...male before.

"Zoe. I see everyone's having fun." Artemis replied, and couldn't stop the smile when over half of the Hunt cheered out their thanks. Looking across the room, Artemis was pleased to see it wasn't just her newest members that embraced the Fox's Den and the owner. Many of the girls were wearing smiles and cracking jokes with each other, enjoying the atmosphere and treats that came with it. As she expected, the blonde mortal had managed to make an impact on the Hunters the way she hoped.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up." Naruto welcomed, walking over and scratching the back of his head as he smiled at the pair, "It's nice to see you again, Athena."

"The same to you, Naruto." Athena smiled and looked around the room, "I don't need to ask how things are going, I see."

"Nope, everything's going great." He ushered them over and gave them two menu's, "There's not much left of what I made your girls, Artemis. These girls are like bottomless pits. There's no end to their appetites!"

"I guess they take after their guidance councillor then." She quipped back, half teasing and smirking. She expected no less from her girls. Taking the seat next to Zoe, and Athena sitting in a chair brought over by Naruto, the blonde was about to write down their order when the six dancing hunters grabbed his arm.

"Come on, Mr Naruto. We've still got some routines to show you." Eloise told him, guiding him back to the make-shift dance floor.

Amused by their actions, Artemis leaned back in her chair when she found Zoe holding out a napkin with cookies wrapped up in them, "Zoe?"

"I managed to grab some before the girls devoured them all," Zoe said quietly, before handing another napkin to the Goddess of Wisdom. Hiding them in her pockets, the girls were none the wiser they missed a couple.

Taking them, Artemis smiled and clapped Zoe's shoulder, "Thank you, Zoe. Once again, you prove that I can always count on you."

Athena replied in kind with a small nod in her direction, "Thank you, Zoe,"

"You're welcome, Lady Artemis. Lady Athena."

"It seems everything is agreeable?" The younger Olympian asked, taking a bite out of a cookie and watching her lieutenant closely. As expected, Zoe's face was a mirade of emotions, but she appeared to be more relaxed about it. While Zoe would never be rude towards her, her temper had been shorter with the other Hunters, resulting in a stricter regiment for the recruits.

"This place is nice enough."

"And the man that runs it?"

She took longer to reply as if trying to choose her words delicately.

"He's not been terrible."

In Hunter terms, Artemis might as well put a gold star next to the blondes name.

"I'm glad to hear that." She leaned back in her hair, watching from the corner of her eye as her youngest hunters continued to show another dance routine to the struggling owner. It appeared dancing was not one of his many talents. "I know we have strict rules when it comes to men, but he is one of the good ones. If he was like the rest, then I wouldn't bring you within a hundred-mile radius of this place."

"I understand, Milady. While I was not keen to be here tonight, the man has made an effort with facilitating us, despite unaware of our true identities." Artemis took another bite from her cookie, as did Athena, who slumped in her chair from the delicious taste, "If he can make an effort for Amaya, and speak to her in her preferred tongue, then I deem him worthy of a single chance."

Artemis's eyes widened marginally and turned to face Amaya, who quietly ate away at her plate of cinnamon buns. When feeling the Moon Goddesses eyes on her, Amaya turned to face her, "Milady?"

Like Naruto, Artemis started speaking to Amaya in American Sign Language, "He spoke to you in Sign?" Some would have called her crazy for accepting a deaf girl into the Hunters of Artemis, asking how could she teach a girl to hunt monsters when she couldn't use her sense of hearing, or how to communicate with her. Artemis has shrugged away their questions and saw Amaya's introduction into the hunt as a way to challenge herself. Unlike some of her other immortal siblings, Artemis would try to improve herself, and meeting Amaya gave a chance to work on that. She went to Athena, and her highly intelligent sister taught her how to speak in sign language to Amaya, and thus taught other members of the Hunt the same once she was proficient enough. Sign language became a mandatory skill for the Hunters to learn, not only for Amaya but for any girl they came across that sought out her aid.

Amaya nodded, "He did. It was surprising, though not unwelcomed." Her smile was enough for Artemis to give one back in kind.

_"_You like him?"

"I do, and he's is not like the others." Amaya looked thoughtful, before signing, "He has a good heart, but sad eyes."

"Sad eyes?"

_"_Like someone who's known hardship. Someone who knows loss." The dark-haired girl nibbled on a cinnamon bun, before adding, "Someone like us."

"I see,"_ A_rtemis recalled a conversation with she had with Persephone some weeks ago. Her elder sister and Queen of the Underworld gushed about her time at the Fox's Den with the blonde man. The conversation naturally turned to Naruto, and the Goddess of Spring had let slip that he was once married and that his wife had passed away some time ago. Unlike her normal feelings on the matter of marriage, the Olympian felt sympathy for the man. She wondered if that was what Amaya meant. She had always been good at reading people by their expressions alone.

Looking around the room, Artemis returned to speech,_ "_I can't help but notice there are two fewer Hunters then there should be." She looked back at Zoe, "Where are Phoebe and Celyn?"

A frown marred Zoe's face, "Phoebe had enough for one evening and returned to the Camp. I don't think this place is to her liking." Zoe made a motion with her head in the direction of Naruto, and Artemis was silently understood and released a sigh, "I didn't want her going alone, so I had Celyn go with her. Phoebe scarcely said a word all night."

"I had hoped she would give more of an effort, but I should have expected this."

"It's not your fault, Milady."

"Perhaps." She pinched her brow, "That girl can be as a stubborn as her father, as much as she doesn't want to admit it." Out of all of her Hunters, Phoebe was the one Artemis felt had the most pent-up frustration when it came to the other sex. Zoe's temper towards men was one thing, but Phoebe's was on a level that made even her worry. While Artemis could admit that some men were worth their respect and kindness, as well as Zoe to an extent, Phoebe firmly believed in the opposite. Her hatred was rooted deep, core and stem. She had hoped that meeting Naruto might alter her thinking, but that was wishful thinking on her part. Taking a deep breath, Artemis smiled at her girls, under the watchful eye of her elder sister across the table, "Perhaps another time then. I'll have one on one time with Phoebe later, and see how she's feeling."

"Of course, Milady."

Laughter broke out across the room, and the sister Olympians had to snort when they saw Naruto finally get the hang of the dance moves the girls were showing him. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of this." He announced, wiggling his hips from side to side as his arms went in the opposite direction. The girls around him clapped while giggling at how silly he looked.

"Looking good, Mr Naruto!"

"It's a good look. Perhaps you should change careers." Artemis asked teasingly, a smirk gracing her face. Across the table, Athena sat and stared at her sister, watching the interaction between the mortal and Olympian. It had been a while she visited the Fox's Den together with Artemis, and she was surprised at how familiar the pair had become with one another. The Goddess of Wisdom scarcely remembered the last time she acted normal towards a male mortal.

_'How curious.'_

"And who would feed that bottomless pit you call a stomach?" He countered, "To think, I went to all the trouble of making a salted caramel chocolate cake just for you. I guess it will have to go to waste, or maybe the girls will would all like to share it between themselves."

A giggle ran through the room, with even Athena smiling in good humour as Artemis's eye widened, "You've had that in the backroom all this time, and you've let me sit here none the wiser." The blonde shrugged, irking the auburn-haired goddess even more, "Go and bring it out here, right now!"

"I didn't hear a please in that sentence."

"You don't deserve one!"

"Maybe I should keep it for myself and eat it in front of you!"

"Maybe I should rearrange your face!"

Athena snorted, but sat back and watched the back and forth with content an amusement. Next to her, Zoe and the older hunters couldn't believe the way their patron and leader was acting, and how casually she was treating the male mortal. It was bizarre to see, but not unwelcomed for many of the girls to experience. For many of them, while they understood they had to keep men at a distance as per the rules, it was nice to see their leader casually interacting with one. Many of them didn't think all men were bad, though there time before the Hunt was marred by experiences with the awful ones. Seeing the Goddess of the Moon befriending one of those good ones, it gave some of them hope that maybe friendships with boys were possible.

Amidst the positive attitude that ran through the Fox's Den, the blue eyes belonging to Naruto Uzumaki repeatedly flickered to the corner of the room. He gave nothing away, continuing his comedic back and forth with Artemis, trying to ignore the reappearing woman in the background staring at him with condescending eyes.

She wasn't here, but she wouldn't leave him alone. Whenever things started going well for him, she would appear and remind him of everything he lost.

He stayed calm, but the words reverberated through his mind like a ripple on the surface of a lake.

_'Get out of my head.'_

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. This one has been a long time coming, and since first bringing Artemis to the Den, it was only a matter of time before the Hunters arrived. Zoe, despite only appearing in the Titans Curse, is one of my favourite characters, and I wish we got more of her in the main series. If Mr Riordan ever does a series following the Hunters or another mini-story, I hope we get more time with Zoe. She was with the Hunt for over 2000 years, so there must be plenty of stories to tell with her.**

**If anyone was wondering about Amaya, she's a character-based from The Dragon Prince on Netflix. I'm in love with the Dragon Prince at the moment, and anyone who enjoyed Avatar and Legend of Korra, I highly recommend it. **

**Thanks for reading and please review.**

**Remember to stay safe.**


	9. Part lX

**Sorry for the long wait everyone. I haven't had much time to write recently. I hope everyone is well and staying safe. Once again, thank you to all my the readers of this story. **

**I hope you all enjoy the chapter. **

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity **

**Part IX **

"Where are you going?" Melinoe heard, her face pointing in the direction that led towards Elysium.

The souls that came to the Underworld divided into three sections, with Elysium, the Fields of Asphodel and the Fields of Punishment stationed next to one another like three separate islands. Elysium consisted of a valley surrounded by walls, a gated community from which one could hear laughter and the smell of barbecue. The path that led towards Elysium was a golden brick road that started from the Judgement Pavillion and ran through the centre of the Underworld. On the left was a black brick road that led to the Fields of Punishment, and to the right was a red brick road that led to the Fields of Asphodel. All souls had to go down one of these roads, but for today, the only one she was interested in was the one that led to Mortal Paradise.

Ever since she visited the Fox's Den with her father, and met Naruto Uzumaki, the blonde mortal had been on her mind night and day. Not in the romantic sense, but in the sense that he was a puzzle that needed solving. His feelings and connections towards several souls that resided deep within Elysium was something she couldn't shake, and she needed to find out what was going on. She never felt threads connected to souls as old as the ones he possessed. No other mortal in the world had anything close, and it only deepened the mystery. What made him special?

Her father had no idea she was here, and neither did Thanatos.

However, despite their absence, the womanly voice behind her had been expected.

Turning around, the Goddess of Ghosts did not appear surprised when a set of vivid green eyes, reminiscent of greek fire stared at her in idle curiosity. Hecate was one of the most bizarre goddesses within the Greek Pantheon, and one of the few that had been around longer than her Father and the other elder Olympians. While technically born a Titan, she was an integral part of the system that ran the world, and the one that created and maintained the barrier that kept their world and the mortal world separate. Without her witchcraft and the mist, the world would look very different from the one they knew.

Dressed in a chiton of green silk to match her eyes and dark hair cut into a bob, the Goddess of Witchcraft stared at her, waiting for an answer.

"I have a matter I need to attend to in Elysium. It's nothing serious, but it something I would like to finish off sooner rather than later."

The answer wasn't enough to satisfy the older goddess, who took one step closer to the daughter of the Dark One, "Is your Father aware of this matter?" She asked with her face a mask void of emotions. Melinoe thought she was good at appearing expressionless, but Hecate practically invented the look. "You know he does not approve of any god or goddess entering one of the fields without his knowledge. He gets moodier than normal when someone goes behind his back within his domain. It's not as bad as his brothers, but it's still quite terrifying."

As someone who could move between the domains of the Big Three, the Goddess of Magic was well-versed with how each son of the Titan King ran their respective Kingdoms and Domains. The one thing they all had in common was their tempers when it came to people going behind their back. It was a headache for all involved.

"He doesn't. It's a matter not worth Father's time. I don't want to bother him with something as meaningless as this," She replied, trying to dampen Hecate's curiosity, "It won't take long."

"What does it involve?" Hecate replied.

"Just stuff involving a silly little mortal, that's all. I think one might be trying to escape from."

"Escape from Elysium? Why would any mortal soul be trying to escape from Elysium?"

"Why do mortal's try and do anything these days? They are so bizarre to understand in the modern world. They're nothing like they use to be back in the older days. Back in the time of swords and sandals." The Goddess of Magic didn't refute her claims. Mortals in recent years were very different from the ones that use to populate the earth. For instance, few believed in magic these days, resulting in a vast majority of the world's population to forget about her very existence. Most don't even know her name anymore.

Only a loyal following of Wiccans, or wannabe modern witches as she called them, understood her importance in the world. The followers of Hecate ran all through the world centuries ago, but with the rise of the Church and magic labelled as the work of the devil, magic was little more than a tool for fictional stories and the big-screen movies. The Salem Witch trials back in 1692 and 1693 didn't help either.

Oh, and don't even get her started on those silly books from England. Hecate had some choice words for those books.

"Hmm." The Goddess tilted her head, observing the younger goddess with keen eyes, "True enough. However, It must be more then that if the Goddess of Ghosts is seeing to it personally. Wouldn't this be a job more suited for Thanatos? It feels like a small-time problem's he's better off solving." The God of Death was notorious when it came to dead souls trying to find a way to escape the chains of the Underworld. He often had dealings with souls trying to escape the Fields of Punishment and the Fields of Asphodel, but she couldn't recall the son of Nyx dealing with a soul trying to escape from Elysium. It was unusual.

Melinoe huffed, and couldn't help but wonder why was Hecate making this harder than needed?

_'Normally, she wouldn't care for such things. Hecate is like a lone wolf compared to the other gods. She does what she wants in her own time.' _Hecate didn't show any interest in much outside of what she deemed worthy or necessary. Her friendship with her parents allowed Melinoe to understand what the goddess was like, and what it took to hold her attention. The mystery revolving around Naruto Uzumaki was one she wanted to solve on her own, hence the reason she had not informed her father. If she told Hecate, she feared the information would undoubtedly end up back with Hades, given Hecate's position within Hade's small but trusted inner circle.

"There's no need. As I said, I can handle it. It won't take long."

The Goddess of Magic crossed her arms, "Perhaps I can accompany you then, and watch you at work."

Melinoe shook her head, "Your offer is kind, but there is no need.

"I can't help but feel like you're trying to get rid of me, Melinoe."

"I would never," Melinoe feigned surprise, "The task at hand is simply not one that requires the attention of two goddesses."

"I can be the judge of that."

Frowning, Melinoe inwardly sighed and resorted to a tactic she hated having to use, "Auntie Hecate, don't you trust me?" She stuck her lip out and widened her eyes in a way that made her look like a puppy. Gods, this was embarrassing.

Hecate didn't say anything straight away, but when she did, her face gained a disapproving edge.

"Gods, Melinoe. Have some self-respect to lower yourself to such tactics. For shame."

"What!"

Before the Goddess of Ghosts could get another word out, Hecate threw up her hands, "Alright, alright. If you don't want to tell me what's going on, then I'll leave it alone. You better know what you're doing though. You know how your father gets when other gods mess around in his domain. I don't need to remind you about the syrup incident back in the 1950s, do I? It took two weeks to clean up, and to this day Styx will take shots as Hermes when he passes by. Hades was in a mood for months, and a pain in my ass." Hecate let out an uncharacteristic huff while crossing her arms, "How Persephone put up with him I'll never know."

"This won't be like the syrup incident, I swear." She wasn't an idiot like her Olympian uncles.

Hecate gave the younger goddess one final look before disappearing in a haze of smoke, leaving Melinoe alone once again.

"Finally," Melinoe muttered. She thought the Goddess of Magic was never going to leave. Gathering her bearings, Melinoe took a deep breath and started along the golden brick path, a firm expression on her face, beginning the investigation on the man known as Naruto Uzumaki.

* * *

At the same time as Melinoe making her way to Elysium, the blonde shinobi was displaying another side of him the goddesses had yet to see.

"Who's a cutie! Who's a cutie! Is it you? I think it is! I think it is you!" Naruto babbled, making funny faces and waving his hands in the air to entertain the little girl who sat in her mother's lap. The little girl kept looking his way when he passed the table, and it didn't take long for his attention to turn her way.

She was such a cute baby! Blowing a raspberry at her, it didn't take long for the girl to fall into a fit of giggles, making babbling noises of her own, much to the blondes delight and the mother's amusement. Clapping his hands in rhythm, the little girl copied his actions, her smile wide enough to show off her baby teeth, "You're such a happy baby, aren't you! Yes, you are! Oh, that's such a lovely smile you have!"

"It is, isn't it." The mother said, cradling her baby close and kissing the top of the head, "She likes you. She gets fussy when she meets new people, but she seems to have taken to you immediately. You have a way with kids."

It was the middle of the Friday afternoon, and he was quick to notice it was quieter than it usually was. Then again, the weather over the past couple of days had been awful, with nothing but grey clouds, rain and the odd thunderstorm hitting the residents of New York. It was strange to see such a sudden change in the weather. One week prior, the sun had been out, and it was warm enough that Naruto hadn't needed to wear a coat. The woman he was serving walking in fifteen minutes ago, bringing along the little sweetheart in her pushchair.

The pulse coming from the little girl had caught his eye the moment she came inside with her mother. It was faint given her age, but he could feel the aura coming off her. It was the first one he sensed near himself since his arrival in New York.

_'A Demi-God.' _He thought to himself,_ 'Haven't met one of them in a few decades.'_

Walking back over to the counter, he brought over a plate with a croissant sitting in the middle. Sitting on the side was a pot of jam and a dab of butter. He meant to bring it over moments earlier, but he got distracted by his new little friend, though the mother didn't seem to mind.

Crouching to his knee's, he started chuckling as he gently played with the little girl's hands when she reached out for him, "I don't know about that. I think it's just a sign that she's going to be a very social person when she's older." He poked his tongue out at her and laughed harder when she copied him, "I bet you're going to be a cheeky one too!"

"Don't I know it."

"What her name? If you don't mind me asking."

The young woman smiled, "I don't mind." The other replied, gently bouncing the baby on one knee, "This is Clarisse, and I'm Aline. Aline La Rue."

"It's nice to meet you." He looked back at Clarisse, "Clarisse, huh? That's a beautiful name. Both your names are french, right?"

Aline nodded, "That's right. I named her after my Grandmother, who was born in France, but moved to the United States in the 1940s after World War Two ended after meeting my Grandfather."

"You don't say? It sounds like there's a story there."

The woman hummed, and gently placed Clarisse back in the highchair Naruto set up for them when they first arrived. She started buttering her croissant when she continued, "He was a soldier you see. Jonathan Tracey, originally from the state of Arizona and signed up to do his part when he was twenty. He was part of the forces that dropped on the Bays of Normandy, part of the second wave of troops that made their way up the beaches. He always told us it was a miracle he survived, but he'd lost some good friends that day. That day stayed with him until he passed a few years back."

The blonde gained a look of sympathy, "I'm sorry to hear that." He hadn't been there on the day, but he remembered seeing the aftermath of the Normandy Landings. The world was a strange place, but after the Fourth Shinobi War had ended, Naruto believed he would never see war again in his lifetime. Looking back on it now, and looking at his situation, the number of wars taken place during his lifetime was countless. The unimaginable loss of innocent life from each war could populate the planet threefold. Even now after all these years, humanity still hadn't managed to make peace with itself, and abandon the concept of war for good.

Was peace achievable? Because he didn't know any more.

"And they meet after the war?"

Aline shook her head, "During the war. My Grandmother was a nurse working with the French Resistance. She met my Grandfather after he got hit by a piece of shrapnel from a destroyed German Panzer Tank. It was this big and went straight through the abdomen," She held her hands out, and the space between was roughly the same length as the knife she was using, "She tended to him and stayed with him until they could move him. After that, they were joined at the hip until he died. He even took her surname when they married.

Naruto smiled, "It sounds like a cliche movie romance."

"In a way."

"And then you named your daughter after her."

"I did."

"What did your partner have to say?" He asked.

"Oh." Aline wiped her mouth, rubbing away a piece of jam from the corner of her lip, "He didn't say anything. He's not in the picture."

"I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. It is what it is." The brown-haired woman shrugged. She didn't appear overly upset that her child's father wasn't in the picture. Then again, Clarisse was a happy and healthy baby if their meeting was any indication, showing that Aline was doing a good job raising her daughter. She appeared to be a well put together woman and was taking her role as a Mom seriously. There were plenty of women who sadly didn't take that role seriously in the modern world, but it was good to see Aline was not one of them. "Becoming a Mom was a surprise, but since Clarisse came into my life, it was like a missing piece of a puzzle I didn't know existed was completed. You know what I mean?"

_'Yeah, I do.'_

He knew that feeling all too well.

When Hinata told him she was pregnant with Boruto, he'd scarcely believed it. He was in the middle of a bowl of ramen and promptly ended up chocking on his noodles. He fell into a coughing fit afterwards for five minutes before gaining his bearings and turned to his wife. He remembered a lot of tears from both of them, which were followed by smiles and laughter. Afterwards, he picked Hinata up and spun her around their living room, eliciting a squeak of surprise from Hinata. All their friends had bee delighted for them. Choji, Ino and Kiba even started to cry, though the latter vehemently denied the accusation.

Telling Hiashia had been nerve-wracking. Things between them were on good ground, but the blonde remembered what Hiashi was like during their childhood, and old habits didn't disappear quickly. He needn't have been worried. The elder Hyuga embraced his daughter with tears of happiness in his eyes, before following it up by embracing Naruto. He never saw Hiashi happier than the day they told him he was going to be grandfather, a role he lived for when Boruto and Himawari were born.

And then the day came when Boruto was born, and he could say with his hand on his heart, he was never more nervous than that night. They were in bed when Hinata's water had broke. He nearly took the front door off when they headed for the hospital. When they arrived, he'd been in a panic, while Hinata was as cool as a cucumber. She was the one keeping him calm throughout the ordeal, which was a testament to her strength.

_'There is no need to panic. We've spent nine months preparing for this moment. We've got this.' _

Her word rang through his mind. She's been right, as always, and suffice to say, Hinata kicked childbirth's ass. Even Shizune, who had been present at hundreds, if not thousands of births, complimented Hinata on how she handled it. All he could do was stand by her side, take her hand and lend his strength to his wife. Boruto's birth had taken nearly six hours, but the moment he arrived and Shizune placed him in Hinata's arms, it was like the world stood still. He was tiny! Little tufts of blonde hair sat atop his head, showing everyone his lungs were working as they should be.

They both cried, and before long, Hinata passed their son over to him. Despite practising with a watermelon for months, Naruto still felt unready as their son sat in his arms, manoeuvring his arms into the correct position.

Then, as if feeling his father's insecurities, Boruto opened his tiny eyes, revealing a stunning set of blue eyes brighter then his own.

At that moment, it felt like his body lifted from the earth. It could be different for other people, but for Naruto, that moment it was as if his reason for existing was to co-create this precious life sitting in his arms. Like his sole purpose in the world wasn't to be the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, nor was it to be the person who ended the Fourth Shinobi War. It was to be the father of this little boy.

He wondered if this was how his parents felt the moment he was born.

When Himawari was born, it was a similar feeling. His little girl had been the apple of his eye, and so much like his darling wife. She was always helping everyone and taking care of them. Looking at Clarisse and playing with the little girl, he couldn't help but think back to all the times he played with her when she was that age.

"Urm..are you okay?" Blinking in surprise, he looked up at Aline. She was looking at him in concern, "You're crying."

_'I-I'm what?'_ Bringing his hand up to his face, he found the woman to be correct and felt the wet patches around his eyes and his skin stretching in the corner of his eyes, _'I didn't even notice.' _When did that start to happen? He was so wrapped up in the memories of his children that he didn't notice his emotions beginning to get the better of him. Grabbing one of the unused napkins on the table, he turned away and dabbed his eyes.

"I-I'm fine." He replied, "I don't know what came over me. How unprofessional of me."

Aline shook her head, and her expression bore no ill will, "Don't be. It's not my place to ask what caused this, but I hope you're okay."

Not wanting the attention, Naruto waved it off, "I'm fine. I'm not sure what that was, but I'm okay." To his relief, a table off in the corner was trying to get his attention, and provided a much-needed distraction, "If you'll excuse me." He glanced down at Clarisse and gave the little girl one last smile and raspberry before making his way across the room.

"Of course." Aline watched him go, her dark eyes following his back as he wove his way past the tables. She wouldn't pry, but she didn't believe it was nothing.

Feeling Clarisse beginning to fuss, she looked down and couldn't herself from smiling when she saw Clarisse reaching out to him, a pouty expression on her face. Her daughter was taken with the blonde man and in an adorable way. He was warm and gave off a kind aura that was comforting to be around. Sadly, she couldn't say the same for that idiot god who fathered her daughter.

The God of War, Ares, lived up to his namesake. Damn, she had a habit for falling for the bad boys. She never intended to end up sleeping with and get knocked up by a Greek God of all people, but a couple of beers and a few shots of tequila, and boom. Instant baby. The God of War didn't even bother to stick around in the morning, and only bothered to visit her after Clarisse was born to inform her of his identity and the challenges Clarisse would face one day. He held Clarisse once, and their daughter had screamed her head off.

She couldn't blame her. His aura was the opposite of the blonde barista. Thankfully, Ares didn't frequent Arizona much, and they were only in New York to visit her Mom. Suffice to say, Clarisse's father had yet to make an appearance if he ever did.

Shaking her baby daddy out of head, Aline found herself laughing when she spied Clarisse reaching for the jam. The little girl looked determined to reach the sweet condiment, though it turned to annoyance when her mother pulled it away.

She looks a lot like her father when she's annoyed. Aline could only hope that was all she picked up.

* * *

** Underworld**

The Goddess of Ghost's let out a low huff as she looked out across the never-ending neighbourhoods that covered Elysium. Up until this point, Melinoe had a plan to follow the emotional threads from Naruto Uzumaki and see where it took her. She would confront his loved ones and gather what information she could to unravel the mystery that surrounded him. However, Elysium, like its two other havens for mortal souls, was never-ending, and technically expanded forever as more and more souls filled its valleys. Now that she was within its walls, Melinoe could safely teleport herself across the valley and towards her goal. She couldn't do so before thanks to the enchantment placed around the valley by Hades and Hecate, which stopped anyone from teleporting in and out from Elysium as they pleased. If someone wanted to visit or leave, they had to walk through the golden gates. Even her father abided by that rule.

It was purely for security purposes, but it was still a little annoying.

"Where to start." She said to herself, standing by the entrance and crossing her arms over her chest, "Let's check the map."

With Elysium as never-ending as it was, the Lord of the Underworld came up with the idea to set up a map point after entering through the gate. She remembered the conversation well, her father informing her and her mother of his decision over dinner on the veranda overlooking her mother's garden. He seemed proud of the idea but got defensive when the pair questioned him on why he was making this decision now of all times.

Then she remembered the Queen of the Underworld had dragged her husband to the most godforsaken place known to both humans and gods alike.

Disney Land. The idea that her father, the man that invented brooding spent the day at the happiest place in the world was comical to imagine. Sadly, there were no pictures. Hades ensured to burn them all before returning. He wasn't going to allow any evidence of the visit becoming public knowledge. The last thing he needed was his younger brothers or the rest of Zeus's brood finding out about it.

Still, Melinoe was aware amusement parks like Disneyland had maps detailing the entire park on every street and corner and was positive that's where her father got the idea. Also, Melinoe couldn't help noticing the distinct sound of the song, 'It's a small world', coming from the Fields of Punishment. She didn't envy those poor souls. Whoever created that damn song deserved a thousand lashings curtesy of Alecto and the Furies.

The map was sat in the centre of a courtyard as you walked through the golden gates, a fountain built behind it with beautiful water features shaped like animals jumping out of the water. The map was enormous, twice her size and built inside a frame of solid gold.

"Hmm."

With new souls entering Elysium daily, Elysium divided into sections. Each section resembled the very best of the living conditions from that era along with additional perks. There was Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Medieval, Victorian, Renaissance, just to name a few. Biting her lip, Melinoe couldn't stop herself from shaking her head.

None of those felt right. Her eyes initially lingered on Ancient Rome and Greece, with the two being among the oldest within Elysium. In her mind, his emotional threads to the dead couldn't have gone any further than Ancient Greece, since it housed the souls that first entered the Underworld under her father's reign and jurisdiction.

_'Well, that's not entirely true.'_

Her gaze shifted from Ancient Greece and slowly turned to another section on the opposite end of the map. There was one area that predated Ancient Greece by a sizable amount of time. How long those souls had rested in the Underworld was questionable. When Hades came to power alongside his brothers and divided up the Sky, Sea and Underworld amongst themselves, it had taken the eldest son of Kronos decades to wade through everything that waited for him. The Underworld, for lack of a better phrase, was a mess when he first arrived.

Before the time of the Olympians, the Titans ruled the world. At that time, the Underworld was presided over by Iapetus, the fifth son of Gaea and Ouranos, and the Titan of Mortality, Pain and Violent Death, and the Lord of the West. Although given the duty of watching over the Underworld as a type of warden for his brother and King, Ipaetus shirked his duties and looked at it as little more than a bothersome responsibility. He rarely visited the realm of the dead, and on the rare occasion he did descend to the lower world, he would lie to his brother about the state it was in. In his reports, he would tell the Titan King the Underworld was doing great, and the younger brother had no reason not to trust his loyal brother. In reality, the Underworld was in pieces. The souls of the dead wandered from corner to corner for eternity, monsters did as they pleased and the Furies each ruled a corner of the Underworld with dozens of lesser creatures at their disposal. The Warden had lost control, and the asylum now belonged to the inmates.

Then the Underworld was taken over by Hades, and the eldest son of the Titan King took one look at the lower world and decided a change was in order. He decided he needed to put his stamp on his new domain, and he did just that. He brought the Furies under his will and struck fear into the monsters that lived within the Underworld. He placed Thanatos as his right hand, and with the God of Death in his service, there was no one else that could refute his claim over the Domain.

When Elysium, the Fields of Punishment, and the Asphodel Fields came to be, he ferried the first batch of souls to their rightful homes. Some resisted, in particular, those that belonged to the Fields of Punishment. However, information about the first batch of souls was the knowledge that Melinoe didn't have. If she had to guess, the souls belonged to the Mortals that pre-dated the Olympians. The first batch of mortals created by Gaea during the Golden Age.

Hades never spoke about them, and neither did her mother. It was bizarre to think some mortals pre-dated her father. When she asked questions about them, all he did was frown.

Could they be the answer?

"The old souls, huh?"

The voice came from over her shoulder, freezing Melinoe in her place. Slowly, the goddess swivelled her focus until she found herself staring into familiar green eyes.

"Hey."

"BWAH!" Melinoe yelped, jumping back a couple of steps, "HECATE! What are you doing here!?"

The Goddess of Magic shrugged. A nonchalant expression was on her face, though her lips were twitching into a cheeky smile, "I followed you."

"Oh, yeah! No shit! Why did you follow me! How did you follow me!"

"How? Melinoe, I'm an old Goddess. Older than you, and older than your parents. I still have some tricks up my sleeves." She revealed, serving to annoy the younger Immortal. Hecate had this bad habit of popping up when you least expected. Case and point, the situation Melinoe was now experiencing, "Back to the matter. You're looking at the Old Souls. Why?"

"Would you believe me if I said curiosity?"

"No, I don't think I would believe you." She replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I didn't think so," She replied with a sigh. She could feel a headache coming on, "You're not going to leave me alone until I tell you, are you?" When the Goddes of Magic saw something that caught her attention, she was just like every other Goddess attached to their Pantheon. She had to know, and she had to have it. It was universal with their family.

Crossing her arms, Hecate gave Melinoe a look that few could go up against, "Correct, so you may as well tell me why you're suddenly interested in the Old Souls. Souls that pre-date the Olympians, and are among the first group of mortals to walk this world. Souls, in which Lord Hades does not talk about with anyone. Souls that are off-limits to **everyone**, and I do mean **everyone**."

Hecate put plenty of emphasis on the final word for Melinoe to notice. Neither spoke for a good minute, but when Hecate's gaze remained stonily calm and focused, Melinoe couldn't do anything but relent. How could she hold such a straight face for so long? It was honestly a complete mystery to her.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but I'm saying it once, so you better pay close attention! And don't go and tattle on me to Father!"

"Very well. Now, please explain why you are here."

Explain she did, and she told the older immortal everything she knew, including the parts that weren't as important. Hecate didn't react with lively expressions like some Gods and Goddesses they knew, but one hand did come up and gently rest against her chin in an Athena-like manner. She didn't interrupt, merely listening to the information Melinoe had to give, only reacting with gentle head nods. After Melinoe finished, a twinkle in those emerald eyes of hers told Melinoe enough.

Her curiosity was peaked, and Melinoe had a feeling she wouldn't be journeying through Elysium alone any more.

"How interesting. I think I'll join you."

_'And there it is.' _She thought. She hadn't planned to have company on this excursion of hers. However, out of all the immortals she knew, Hecate was one of the more tolerable to be around. Some like her divine uncles, namely Apollo or Ares, would make her want to rip her hair out if left alone with them. The Goddesses weren't as bad, but one's like Athena, talking about mind-numbing trivia all that time, sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

If it had to be anyone, she could have done far worse then the Goddess of Magic.

"I thought as much." She sighed again, sounding like a child who had their Saturday afternoon ruined, "Come on. Let's get going."

"Lead the way."

The pair of Goddesses left the map of Elysium, briefly looking at the dozens of path that branched off to the different sections before the Goddess of Ghosts led them down the one that led to the Old Souls. The area was named the Old World, an apt name given the status of its residents. Melinoe didn't want to say it aloud, but she had no idea what was waiting for them at the other end.

It was unknown to her, but she couldn't resist the temptation of her curiosity bubbling up in her stomach. All she could hope for was to get some answers before her Father realised where she was and dragged her back.

* * *

_'Two in one day. Another Demi-god,'_ Naruto thought, finishing up serving a customer as he turned to the entrance as the door was pushed open.

Like earlier with Aline and Clarisse, a woman and her daughter walked into the Fox's Den, though the daughter was noticeably older. If he had to guess, the girl was around four or five years of age. She had dark hair down to her chin, and a row of freckles splashed across her nose, adding an extra dose of adorable.

Visibly, she didn't favour the woman much, who had long light blonde hair falling to the middle of her back and sharp features. Even their eyes, though blue, the little girls were much darker. If he had to compare the shades, the woman's were a pale blue like the sky. The girls though were the same shade of blue as a Chidori.

Like Clarisse, he could sense the aura around her. She was a demigod for sure, and the pulse coming off her was more potent. If Clarisse was a splash in the pond, then this girls was reminiscent of someone cannonballing in the swimming pool.

Prepared to walk over, he stopped and stared for a second at the way the woman was moving her body. There was a stagger in her step, and every time one foot went forward, she tilted to one side. It was like watching a seesaw, and her body couldn't decide which way to go. For a brief moment, he watched her steady herself with the help of the little girl.

"Welcome to The Fox's Den. Please-" He started, but halted momentarily as his nose wrinkled. The smell of alcohol clung to the woman like a second skin. It was strong. So strong that he visibly recoiled as it overloaded his sense of smell. Whether or not the woman noticed, she didn't give any indication. However, it confirmed his thoughts.

_'She's drunk.'_ He tried not to frown and kept a smile on his face. Looking at her face, he saw traces of mascara sloppily rubbed away, leaving dark patches on her otherwise clear skin.

"Please, let me show you to a table." He ushered them to the closest table and brought out the chair for the woman to sit on. Whether the woman was aware of what was going on, he wasn't sure, but the moment she sat on the chair, she slumped forward. Her face buried itself in her hands, strands of hair woven through her fingers and nails pinching against her skin. Luckily the room only had half a dozen customers, but those still here looked their way when muffled sobs broke out of the woman. Her daughter sat in the other chair and put her knee's up to her chin. She just stared at her mother with those big blue eyes.

The woman, for whatever the reason, was not in the right mindset. He didn't know what had caused this woman to end up this way, but maybe he could help her in some way.

Pocketing his notebook and pen, he crouched down to the woman's level, gentle asking, "Mam? Are you okay?" Whether she heard him or not, she gave no indication. Her muffled sobs only continued as he waited for an answer, "Mam? Do you know where you are?"

Again she didn't say anything.

"Mam, my names Naruto Uzumaki. I own the cafe you've entered, and I'm worried about your current state. Is there anyone I can call for you?" Again, there was no response but her sobs. He tried for five minutes, to which, half the people in the room got up and left the room. They must have found the situation too uncomfortable to bear, but he paid them no notice.

Seeing he wasn't getting an answer from the parent, he tried his luck with the child. Maybe she knew what was going on.

Shuffling across the table, he crouched a couple of feet away from the little girl and smiled at her to show it was okay. At first, the little girl did nothing but hide her face in her knee's. She was a shy little thing, though he could see her peeking at him from the corner of her eyes. One of her hands came up and played with one of her hairclips decorating her hair. She was a little cutie.

"Hi honey," He greeted, trying to use sweet words to show her he could be trusted, "My names Naruto, and I work here." He motioned with his arms to the interior, "Do you know what's wrong with your Mommy?"

She didn't say anything, but he did get a little nod from her.

"Can you tell me? I'd like to help."

She raised her head ever so slightly. He could just about make out her mouth.

"H-Help?"

"That's right." He edged a little closer, looking between the girl and her sobbing mother, "Did something bad happen to make her sad?"

Again, the girl nodded.

"Can you tell me?"

As he spoke to the little girl, the remaining customers slowly filtered out of the room. Some ignored the situation in front of them, while one did show some sympathy and mouth if he needed help. He responded with a soft shake of his head, though he did mouth back a thank you for their consideration. After the last person left, he quickly got up and spun the open sign to close before returning to the little girl's side. Her face scrunched up.

"M-Mommy wanted to see Daddy."

Naruto didn't react, and instead softly nodded.

"I see." He replied. Thinking over her words, he rubbed his chin. _'She **wanted** to see Daddy, which meant she tried to see him but possibly was unable too?'_ If that was the case, then a sticky situation was forming in front of him. If his senses about the little girl were correct, which he knew they were, then this woman had tried to visit her divine partner. He was aware that there were rules set in place by the divine ones. One of those rules, when it came to the children, enforced they had to be raised by the mortal parent. The immortal parent had minor, possibly zero contact with the child.

The ones he knew and spent some time with in the past had a similar rule in place, though they watched over their children in secret. For the rest of them out in the world, he couldn't say what rules they had in place, but if he was a betting man, the topic of demi-gods was likely universal.

He returned his attention to the little girl, "You didn't get to see him?"

This time, she shook her head, "The man wouldn't let us."

"The man?"

"The man in the big building."

Before he could ask what building she meant, she turned in her seat and pointed to a picture of the New York skyline he put up a few weeks back. Following her finger, his gaze settled on the most iconic building in New York. The Empire State Building.

_'So that's where they live.'_ He thought. He had a feeling that was the case ever since he first sensed the energy that radiated from that building. If he could describe it in one way, it was like a never-ending pulse of invisible energy that few in the world could sense. It was a commanding presence. Like it wanted everyone who could sense such things to know they were there. The immortal's ones of the world vary. At least, the ones he met anyway. Some kept it under wrap, and others like to boast and brag. He didn't need to guess what kind lived at the Empire State Building, '_Not to mention, given the regular that visit, which pantheon they belong to.'_

"H-He said h-he loved me!" He heard and leaned into the sobbing woman. She repeated the same ling over and over again, each with an equal amount of anger and sadness.

A scenario was beginning to form in his head and turned to look at the sobbing woman. Her daughter sat quietly next to her. Her gaze flickered between her mother and himself. Gently slapping his cheeks, he decided to try and help in whatever limited way he could. A new smile etching over his face, he asked the little girl a question.

"What's your name?"

"T-Thalia." She replied, a murmur in her voice.

"Well, Thalia, have you ever had a milkshake before?"

The little girl blinked. A little unsteadily, she nodded her head and tilted her head to the side. She was too cute.

"Well, I happen to be very good at making sweeties and drinks," He replied, "I'm going to get your Mom a warm drink to help her feel better. Would you like a milkshake? A chocolate milkshake?"

The word chocolate immediately sparked the girl's interest. Her whole body straightened, and her lips formed a tiny O shape. Instead of answering, she nodded her head a little more vigorously than before. The wonders of chocolate never ceased.

"Okay, I'll get right on that." He replied, before turning back to the sobbing mother, "Mam, I'm going to get you some water and some food to absorb the alcohol in your system." She didn't answer him back, and nor did he think she would.

Standing up, he rubbed the back of his head. What a weird day this was turning out to be.

The moment he turned around and headed for the counter, his body stopped when the sound of gagging filled the room, followed by the dreaded sound of vomit hitting the floor. He twisted around, noticing Thalia was no longer in her chair and was now next to her mother. His face scrunched up into a scowl as the woman tried to push her daughter away, a nasty glare forming on the woman.

"Get a-away from m-me!"

"Mama!"

"I-I said, get away f-from me!" A harder shove pushed the girl back a couple of feet and sent her sprawling on the floor. Naruto was there in a second, cathing the visibly upset Thalia and levelling her mother with a harsh glare.

"Hey!" He said, watching the woman turn away and put her back to him, "I don't care what state your in, you don't harm your child." Thalia sniffled, and the blonde could sense the waterworks beginning to appear. To his mild surprise, he watched her shuffled until she was hidden behind his right leg, her tiny hands clutching at the fabric of his pants.

Gently patting her head, he shushed her sweetly, "It's okay. I'm sure your Mom didn't mean it."

Thump!

He threw his head back and groaned. The wreck of a woman and mother of the little girl clutching his leg for comfort fell forward, narrowly avoiding hitting another table and slumped to the ground in her vomit. Heading over to check on her, he crouched on her side and found her out like a light. The day's events, coupled with the booze and heightened emotions proved too much for her.

"Great," He mumbled, rolling the woman over on he back. He took off his apron and rolled it up into a ball and stuck it beneath the woman's head. Rubbing his hand over his face, he looked back at the little girl, the latter of whom was shuffling idly from side to side. Her face was all scrunched up and a sniffling.

Despite the situation he was in, he put on the brightest smile he could and shuffled over to her, "Momma's just fallen asleep. Mommy and Daddy's can be silly like that some times."

She didn't reply. Instead, she continued to sniffle.

He raised his hand and gently patted her on top of her head. What more could he do right now?

_'I think it's safe to say I won't be opening for the rest of the day.'_ He thought, before doing his best to comfort the upset little girl.

* * *

Back in Elysium, the Goddess of Magic and the Goddess of Ghosts found themselves standing at their destination.

"This is not what I expected," Hecate muttered, standing to the left of Melinoe, and letting her green eyes travel across her surroundings. They stood in the middle of the gates that led into the lands of the Old Souls, looking out at the distinct architecture often found with Eastern Civilisation of old. It expanded as far as they could see. The gates themselves were impressive to look at, comprised of two iron gates a couple of feet thick with a symbol written on the surface in gold.

The two halves of the symbol sat on each side of the gate. It took a moment for the older immortal to recognise it, "It's a kanji."

"A kanji?" Melinoe replied, a frown on her face, "As in those funky letter things they use in the East?"

Hecate scoffed at the description but gave a subtle nod, "That's right. It's a form of writing comprised of a system of symbols that represent words or ideas, and that can have different meanings and pronunciations depending on their context. It's an old form of written language. How old though is often up for debate. To find them down here though is most odd."

"Alright, so what does this one mean?"

Melinoe didn't get an answer right away. She could see the cogs working within Hecate's mind, her index finger and thumb pinching her perfect skin on her brow.

"I could be wrong," The older immortal said, "I never spent much time in the East in my long life, but, I did take it upon myself to familiarise myself with some of the languages. Some of my past lovers of whom were from the East wrote in such language you see."

The Goddess of ghosts made a gagging noise.

Hecate shot her a look, but continued, "If I'm right, then the kanji written on the gates is the word, '**Shinobi'**."

"Shinobi? Isn't that another word for ninja?" The dark-haired goddess rose a perfect eyebrow, "Are you telling the souls of ninjas are the ones living here?"

The older goddess shrugged, "How am I supposed to know? I've never been here before just like you. That's what the kanji reads."

"Fine, fine." Waving her hands in the air, she turned around and looked out at the expanse that made up this part of Elysium. Dense forest populated the area with the tops a shade of green that would have made Pan groan in delight from how healthy they looked. Small mountains dotted a few parts, and from where they stood, they could have sworn they saw tiny dots moving up the side like birds. Dirt roads wove through the lands connecting small villages and towns in various parts of the area. It appeared idyllic to nature lovers, "I guess we should follow the closest thread and see where it takes us."

"And where might that be?"

Humming to herself as she focused on the threads of Naruto's emotional ties, she soon pointed down one of the dirt roads leading to one of the towns.

"That way. A particularly strong thread is emanating down that path. I suggest we start with that one." Nothing more needed to be said as the two immortals turned in that direction and headed along the path. They fell into silence, one with a determined expression on her face, while the other stared at her in mild curiosity.

The Goddess of Magic spent most of her time in Underworld thanks to her friendship with it's Lord and his wife. She felt more at ease and at peace in the shadows of the lower world then basking in the light of Olympus. The company was better and didn't force her to socialise with people she couldn't stomach. Not to mention, it was nice not having to deal with gods trying to woo her into their temples. A certain Sky God had a habit of trying to wiggle his eyebrows her way. That wasn't happening. Not now, and not ever.

She didn't desire to be a notch on his belt, nor did she want a vengeful Queen turning her eye on her.

However, in all her time spent in the Underworld, this was the first time she'd seen Melinoe this determined. Melinoe resembled Persephone, but her personality was too much like Hades most of the time, skulking in the shadows and the dark corners of the Underworld. Seeing the younger immortal sparked something inside Hecate that forced her to find out what was going on, and so far, she hadn't been disappointed. A mysterious mortal with ties to souls that pre-date the Olympians? Yes, please! As the mortals would say, Christmas had come early.

"This is where it stops." Melinoe's voice rang out, forcing Hecate from her thoughts and looking at their destination.

"Here?" She sounded sceptical, "You're positive about that?"

"Hey! I swear this is where it stops."

Coming to a stop, Hecate and Melinoe found themselves staring at a moderately sized building with a large sliding door made of wooden panels. A thick wall ran on both side before meeting in the middle, dividing into two. When they were walking closer to the area, there was a distinct shift in the temperature. Now, they understood why.

"A hot springs?" You didn't see many of those in the Underworld." The only thing vaguely similar was Hade's hot tub, though only he and his wife were permitted to use it.

"To each there own, I guess. Maybe these were big back when the Old Souls were alive." Melinoe shrugged, not having a better answer.

"I guess," Hecate looked around. She didn't see many souls around, though she could hear a mixture of men and women talking on the other side of the building. Though on a mission, Hecate couldn't help but feel tempted to walk through and indulge with what the hot springs had to offer. The number of times she participated in a hot spring was few, though each time she felt relaxed and rejuvenated. Perhaps she could convince Melinoe to set aside her quest for knowledge for an hour or two.

"Pffttt."

Both women blinked.

"Did you hear that?"

"Like someone was giggling? I heard it. Though, where did it come from?" Both looked around but saw no one nearby.

"Pffttt."

"There it is again," Melinoe muttered. A frown washed over her face and found herself following after the sound with Hecate hot on her heels. They turned the corner away from the entrance and walked against the large wooden wall that separated them from the hot springs. The path was short, but it did lead them into a small wooded area that rested against the bottom of the establishment. They could feel the steam tickling against their skin. As wonderful as it must have been, they weren't here for that.

"Ow! That branch hit my face!"

"Then try and duck out the way next time!"

Pushing against some tall bushes with Melinoe narrowly avoiding another branch to the face, the two goddesses found themselves staring at the back of a fairly large man crouched on his knee's with one eye pressed against the fence. A laugh, or a giggle, they weren't sure which, erupted from the man's mouth and didn't appear to notice they were there. The way he laughed, it felt wrong to them. Like he was laughing over something that the pair of them wouldn't agree with or tolerate.

It felt wrong.

Tilting their heads and tiptoeing to either side of him, they got a good look at the man. The first thing noticeable about the man was his long and shaggy white hair tied into a ponytail that reached his lower back with two shoulder-length bangs framing his face. On his cheeks, they spied red markings going down his cheek emanating from the bottom of his eyes with a small wart of the side of his nose. His clothes were most bizarre and served to help the goddesses in believing the Old Souls lived in a society similar to the Eastern parts of the world they knew. He wore a green short shirt kimono and matching pants, under which he wore mesh armour that is visible at his wrists. He also wore handguards, a black belt, traditional Japanese wooden sandals, and a red haori with two yellow circles on each side. It was a unique look that neither goddesses had seen before.

_'Some kind of warrior?'_ Hecate wondered.

"Excuse me, but what are you doing?" Melinoe's voice rang out, crossing her arms and frowning down at the soul.

To both their surprise, he didn't turn around, but he did wave a hand in the air, "Sshh, quiet kid. Can't you see I'm busy." Between him and fence, they noticed a small notebook settled down on the grass with a pen resting between the pages.

"Busy? Doing what?"

"Research! What else!?"

The two immortals look at each other before Hecate replied, "Research?"

"Yeah, so if you could amscray and-" He started, turning his head for a brief moment, revealing a small hole in the fence. He was mid-sentence when his jaw dropped, his dark eyes gazing over the forms of the two immortals. It only lasted a moment before a gaga-like expression washed over his face, turning his whole body to face them, "Hot Mama! You are two smoking babes!"

Both goddesses blinked, though a pair of scowls quickly appeared on their faces.

"Excuse me!?"

"What did you call me!?" The latter who spoke was Hecate, who looked at the white-haired man with sudden intensity. She did not take kindly to being called a babe.

A funny look washed over the man's face. His hands came up and wiggled in the air, a dust of red appeared on his cheeks. If the goddesses were honest, the look he was giving them gave them the creeps. It was like he was looking through their clothes and ogling them like a piece of meat. Didn't he know who they were!

"Oh man, I haven't seen you two around here before! You must be new, which is weird because we haven't had new people in...well, in a very long time." He replied, taking a step towards them, "But hey! You won't hear me complaining."

"If you don't cease these vile words, I will carve you into tiny pieces."

"Hey! Hey! There's nothing wrong with appreciating a good-looking woman!"

"There is when you look at them like that!" Hecate stormed forward. It was rare to see her angry. Usually, the older goddess kept her feelings bottled up inside. However, that was not the case with this man. Melinoe couldn't disagree. The man's behaviour irked her. "What are you looking at through that hole!?"

"Wait! Don't loo-"

His words went unanswered as Hecate lowered herself and peeped through the hole in the fence. Watching her from behind, she glared at the man when she caught him staring at Hecate's bottom. She kept a close eye on those wandering hands too. Whatever was on the other side of the fence, it made Hecate go still. She could have sworn she was muttering something underneath her breath.

A moment later, a red-face but angry-looking Hecate levelled him with a glare that would have made Zeus shiver.

"Y-You," She started, her arms shaking at her side. Her eyes shined, and Melinoe could have sworn she felt the ground shake beneath them, "You-You vile PERVERT!"

A spear appeared in Hecate's hands and pointed it at the white-haired man, who started nervously laughing. Pushing her way through the Goddess and the spirit, Melinoe lowered herself and looked through the hole in the fence. What had gotten Hecate so angry?

_'Oh.'_

She quickly understood. On the other side of the fence was one of the hot springs. In particular, the female side of the hot springs. Dotted all over the pool, Melinoe spied at least two dozen women, all of whom looked as if they were spawn of the Love Goddess. Some were basking in the water with just their heads and neck visible, and other's had their legs dipped in partway while accumulating a healthy sweat on the top half. Either way, it left nothing to the imagination and basked the man in all the beautiful curves these women had to offer.

After a moment of looking through the peephole, Melinoe stood up and spun around with an eerily calm look on her face. Her eyes though told a different story as she looked at the man accusingly.

"Pervert."

"Hey! I resent that term!"

"Then what the hell are you!"

To their surprise, the man laughed and wiggled his fingers in the air, "I'm a big one!"

Melinoe huffed, wanting to walk away from this man and never see him again as Hecate pointed her spear closer to his face. Unfortunately, to her dismay, she felt a tug in her gut towards the white-haired man. Her face dropped, praying to whoever it was the gods prayed too in these situations but found them unanswered. The emotional ties that came from Naruto Uzumaki were thrumming stronger than before. It was like a heartbeat getting stronger. As much as she didn't want to believe it, she was one hundred per cent sure this awful man in front of her was the one it was connected too.

"Hecate."

"What is it?" The Goddesses emerald eyes never left the man as she kept her weapon inches away from his face. She didn't dare look away from those wandering hands.

"He's the one."

"The one?"

Melinoe gave her a look.

"You have to be kidding me."

"I wish I was."

"But HIM!"

"I know. I don't like it either. I mean, look at him."

"There's no mistake? It's not someone on the other side of the fence?"

"I wish it was, but sadly we're stuck with this fiend to women everywhere."

"I'm still here, you know." The man said, a defeated and annoyed look plastered on his face. His shoulders slumped forward and hung his arms loosely by his side. His lip pouted outwards like a temperamental child.

"Don't remind us," Melinoe replied with an annoyed expression. Why did she have such bad luck? It was supposed to be a simple mission to gather information, "Look. I'm going to set aside what we caught you doing just now if you answer some questions of ours."

The man's eyebrow rose.

"What kind of questions?"

"Well, to start with, you should know my name is Melinoe, Goddess of Ghosts and daughter of Hades, the lord and ruler of the Underworld." She announced, pride evident in her tone and watched the man's eyebrows raise higher by the second, "The woman holding the spear inches from your face is Hecate, Goddess of Magic. It would be wise not to do anything rash, or she will poke you full of holes."

"Y-Your Goddess's?" The man stuttered out. His back pressed against the wall.

"We are, and we have questions for you."

"What kind of questions?"

Melinoe smirked. Finally, some answers.

"Anything and everything about your relationship with Naruto Uzumaki."

The second his name left Melinoe's mouth she felt a shift from the man. It was quick, but both Goddesses saw his fearful expression change to serious. It was as if a different person suddenly stood in front of them. He stood taller, and it felt like his shoulders widened.

Before Hecate could react, she was left wide-eyed when her spear was knocked from her hands, and caught mid-air by the man. He spun it around a few times, a whistle in the air before embedding the tip into the earth. Both goddesses were silent at the sudden movement, neither expecting it.

"What the-"

"So the gaki's still up there, huh?"

The white-haired man closed his eyes and a small smile appeared. His words caught them off guard, though Melinoe did take one uneasy step forward.

"I take then you know who we're talking about?"

His eyes opened. He still appeared serious, though neither could say he looked hostile. Merely prepared should they try something.

"Girlie, I dare you to find someone in this neck of the woods who doesn't know the name, Naruto Uzumaki," He replied, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wood with one foot pressed on the fence. He mumbled something under his breath, though they could have sworn he said, "Kushina and Tsunade will be pleased to get news of him."

This time, it was Melinoe who stood straighter, and put her trepidation to one side, "Then who are you to him? Your emotional bond and ties to him are strong. That's how we were able to locate you."

"Is that right?"

"That's right."

A silly grin made its way onto his face, "Well! It's nice to know the Gaki still thinks about me after all this time. I swear, that kid knows how to worry me to death, even when I'm dead." He looked into their dark and emerald coloured eyes, "Is he doing okay?"

"I've never met him," Hecate replied, a little off-put at how easily he disarmed her.

"I've only met him once, but he was kind. I've wanted to know more about him since I met him." Melinoe answered honestly. She wanted some answers. She could only hope this man was willing to give some. "What can you tell us about him?"

"What can I tell you?" He replied, a snort coming from him, "I could tell you everything about him if I wanted too." One hand broke from his crossed arms, and poked his thumb to his chest, "The names Jiraiya, and I'm that blonde knucklehead's Godfather. Nice to meet you, ladies."

* * *

**This was another long one. **

**I had some trouble with this chapter. I spent a while trying to figure out what Elysium was going to be like. We haven't been given much information in the main series in regard to Elysium, so I had to go with my imagination on this one. I hope the way it was explained was okay for everyone. When I was trying to write it, Universal Studios in Florida popped into my head and the way it was designed with different sections for different franchises.**

**As you can see, things are about to get complicated for Naruto. I won't give too much away, but there will be a surprise or two in the Part X.**

**Thanks for reading and please review. **


	10. Part X

**I can't believe we're passed the 2000 review mark. As always, thank you to every for reading. It means the world to see how much you all are enjoying this story. **

**I hope you all enjoy this new instalment. **

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity **

**Part X**

**Underworld**

"Where is he taking us?" Melinoe whispered, falling into step beside Hecate. The two goddesses walked side by side, about two meters behind Jiraiya as the man led them away from the hot springs, "He hasn't said much since he told us who he was. What do you make of all this?"

Next to her, the eyes of the green goddess remained firmly on the back of their new acquaintance. She was still uneasy at how easily he took her spear from her hands. Never had a mortal or an immortal disarmed her in such quick fashion. The man was a skilled warrior, but to what degree, she was still unsure.

"It's hard to say," Hecate replied, "One moment this man is ogling naked women through a peephole in the fence of a hot spring. The next thing we know, his whole facade of a pervert disappears, and this serious personality appears.."

"You don't think he's a pervert? Or a big one, as he puts it."

"Oh, I think he is a pervert. However, there's more to him than that." She added, "Almost likes its a mask to draw someone to assess them with the hidden personality behind what you see." As Melinoe mentioned, the man hadn't told them much since the reveal earlier. After the reveal of being Naruto's godfather, he went a step further and added that he was also the blondes mentor. A mentor in what? They didn't know. He stopped there and told them to follow him if they wanted answers.

So they did, and they could only hope they didn't regret that decision.

"You know," Both turned their heads and looked at Jiraiya. The white-haired spirit was looking at them from the corner of his eye, amusement clear for all to see, "You two aren't being quiet. I can hear you."

Melinoe crossed hers as they walked, "Well, it wasn't like we trying to hide anything. Besides, don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop on someone's conversation?"

A bark of laughter escaped from the man, "I would but after years of intel gathering and listening in to peoples conversation, I've developed acute hearing whether I like it or not."

A snort broke from the Goddess of Ghosts, "Are you going to tell us where we're going yet?"

"Now, now," Jiraiya replied, making small gestures with his hands, "Don't worry about a thing. We haven't got long to go. A couple more minutes and we'll be there."

"And where are we going? You haven't given us any information." The white-haired spirit simply told them to follow him if they wanted to learn about Naruto Uzumaki. Though both were cautious about where he was planning on taking them, Melinoe wanted answers. She was close to getting them, and if it meant following this perverted man, then so be it.

Hecate, meanwhile, wasn't going to let Melinoe go too far over the line. What they were doing right now, making conversation with the spirits of the dead without the consent of Hades was a big no-no. Not to mention, they were in a part of the Underworld that was off-limits to everyone. If Thanatos came flying overhead and spotted them, then it was game over for their little adventure. He would go to Hades, and the Lord of the Underworld would drag them back willing or unwilling.

She'd seen Hades when he got angry.

No thanks! She didn't want to experience his anger directed at her. Sure, Melinoe would get disciplined in some way. Hades would surely get creative with her punishment, and Persephone would throw her two-drachma's into the matter. The Queen of the Underworld liked to stay involved in that way, despite being stuck on the surface. But for Hecate? She could see Hades concocting something special for her. In a sense, she was enabling Melinoe to go on this little quest of hers. She caught her red-handed and chose to help her rather than convince her not to go ahead with her plan.

"Don't worry. Don't get your panties in a bunch over little details."

"What did you say!"

He spun his head around, giving them a view of his face. Jiraiya frowned with his lips pouting forward, "You know, for a pair of goddesses, you're not nearly as fun as I thought you'd be. You take everything so personally." His hands came up and rested behind the back of his head. There was a jovial step to his walk, "You know, this is the first time I think a goddess-like yourself has ever come all this way to our little slice of paradise. At least, since we all first moved in. Man, that was a long time ago."

"So, you have met another god before?" Melinoe asked.

Jiraiya nodded, "Oh yeah, for sure. As I said, it was a long time ago. I remember when this place uses to be a big bowl of chaos. You couldn' tell which way was left or right, or up and down. You use to have to go with the flow and all that."

Both immortals nodded. His words confirmed what they initially knew about the time frame of the old souls, "You talk about the time the Underworld was under the watch of the Titan, Iapetus. A time when the souls of the dead ran rampant over the Underworld."

The white-haired man shrugged, "I guess. I don't know anyone by that name. Then again, that proves the guy didn't do his job of running the show. All I remembered is one day, some big guy in a helmet appeared one day and started judging us by the good and bad deeds in our lives. Many of us came here and other's we never saw again."

Melinoe nodded. It sounded like her father was much more hands-on when it came to the judging on the souls that came into his domain. These days, he left it to his three judges. Minos, Rhadamanthus and Aeacus. The trio had served as the judges of the dead for a long time. Though they did the job well, Melinoe felt the three took too many liberties with the power they wielded. All three had inflated egos. It was only natural with the given responsibilities they were possessed.

Perhaps a change was in order soon.

"The man in the helmet was my father," Melinoe revealed, observing how Jiraiya's dark eyes settled on her, "He's Hades, Lord of the Underworld."

This time, Jiraiya nodded, "You don't say. The name does ring a bell." Call him too curious, but he'd always wondered who the man in the helmet was. The memory was something that lingered in the back of his mind, even after all these years. He appeared out of nowhere, forming from a shadow that would have made the Nara's envious. No one had sensed him. It was like he blinked into existence. He didn't give them time to react before they were all wrapped up into the shadows. The next thing anyone knew, they were in this paradise called Elysium, and it was to be there home until the end of time. Some faces disappeared entirely. They weren't as squeaky clean as the rest of them. He wasn't sure where they went, but he had a feeling they didn't go without putting up a fight, "So he runs the showdown here, and you're his heir? A princess?"

A scowl heavily marred Melinoe's face, "Don't call me that."

"Mou, mou, so serious."

The goddess growled through her teeth, while Hecate rolled her eyes and listened to the back and forth. Jiraiya sure knew how to push Melinoe's buttons. She pitched in her thoughts on his words, "As gods or goddess, we do not have heirs the same way mortal rulers do. Though Melinoe is the daughter of Lord Hades, that by no means sets her up as a candidate to one day rule the Underworld. As immortal beings that live forever, we could potentially rule over our domains forever. Typically, there are two ways for a god or goddess to give up their rule over such things."

"Such as?"

"For that god or goddess to willingly separate themselves from their domain, though no immortal in their right mind would ever do such a thing. Our domains help make us what we are," Hecate explained, with Melinoe nodding along with her words, "The second is for that immortal to be removed from the picture indefinitely."

Jiraiya nodded, "When you say indefinitely, you mean," He ran his finger across his throat with a knowing expression on his face.

"Correct."

"Boy, oh bo-"

"Kya! I got you now!"

The sound of someone shouting caused the two goddesses to jump back in mild surprise before Hecate reformed her spear into her hands. They needn't have worried, as a blur dived out of one of the tree's to the left, aimed at the white-haired spirit taking the lead. They both watched as a look of annoyance washed over his face, and saw as he side-stepped out of the way, and stuck one hand out. His hand grabbed the blur, spinning his body as he caught them in his grip, and hung them upside down.

_'Incredible reflexes,'_ Both immortals thought. It was beyond anything modern demi-gods, and some gods could perform. He did it effortlessly too.

"Nice try gaki, but you're still too young to pull one over on me, you know," Jiraiya exclaimed, grinning down at the body caught between his fingers, "Try again in a few more centuries. Maybe you'll have better luck." He started poking the smaller body with his index finger, causing them to squirm and try to sway away.

"Mouuu, Pervy Sage!" The body wiggled harder in the air, trying to escape though found little luck.

"Would you stop calling me that!"

Hecate and Melinoe snorted at the name. It was strangely appropriate for the man.

As the two listened to the back and forth between Jiraiya and his assailant, the two lingered their gaze. The new spirit was a young girl, somewhere between twelve and fourteen. She was on the petite side with a light complexion, and dark blue hair cut into a bob. Melinoe found herself admiring the colour. She'd never seen naturally blue hair before. At least, not on a human before. She was cute in the girl next door kind of way, with a round face and blue eyes. A striking feature both found themselves staring at was the two whisker marks on either side of her cheeks.

_'Whisker marks.'_ Melinoe thought. A familiar blonde barista had similar markings on his cheek if she recalled. Not to mention, the pull she was feeling for this girl in her gut was immensely strong. It was stronger then what she initially felt from Jiraiya.

"What are you doing here, Hima? Did your Mom send you?" Jiraiya asked, finally putting the girl on the floor. Despite the initial annoyance on his face, both goddesses could see the endearment in his eyes and voice. She must have been someone near and dear to him since she was trying to plant her foot in his face moments earlier.

The girl patted her jumper down, before dazzling them all with a smile that struck all their hearts, "Nope! Grandma sent me. She said to tell you to move your lazy butt. Otherwise, they'll be no food left for you, and we're making Boruto's favourite. Grandma said if you're not there soon, then you're going without."

"You know spirits don't need food."

"They don't need to peep, but you still do it." She shrugged her shoulders, looking at him with absolute innocence.

"Fine, fine." He replied, before pointing over to the pair of immortals watching them curiously, "Can't you see I have guests following me. That's why I'm late. Why don't you say hello."

Before Melinoe and Hecate could blink, the girl was in front of them. Her big blue eyes blinked up at them, filled with excitement and curiosity. "Wow! You're new!"

The pair looked at one another. "Hello," Both said, greeting the young woman.

"We haven't had anyone new in forever! Like in...a long time." She put her hands in the air to amplify how long.

"That's typically what forever means," Hecate told her in a matter of fact tone.

"They know. I said that already," Jiraiya replied, motioning for them to keep going and resuming the trip, "Let's keep going. I don't want Kushina and Tsunade to have my ass for being late."

"But who are they?"

"Why don't you ask them. It's polite to introduce yourself before asking for someone's name, remember."

The little girl did just that, and spun around on her heel to face them again, "Hi! I'm Himawari. Who are you?!" She poked her thumb into her chest.

_'She's very peppy and spirited.'_ They thought before Melinoe went ahead and explained who they were. Suffice to say, learning she was in the presence of two goddesses was enough for her eyes to sparkle in fascination and excitement.

"Wow! You're actual goddesses!?"

"We are."

"And you live forever?"

"Last we checked."

"Wow! Does that mean you know my Dad?"

"Your Dad?" Hecate asked. The moment Melinoe heard that her thoughts began to spin. The image of Naruto Uzumaki appeared in her mind and started comparing his face with the little girls. There was a great deal in their features that were alike. The blue eyes. The round face. The smile. The whisker-like markings on their cheeks. It was as if someone copied his likeness on this little girl.

"The one you're asking about," Jiraiya nodded his head towards her, "Naruto's her father."

Neither appeared surprised. Even Hecate, who hadn't met the blonde shinobi had a feeling that the way it was leaning, "I thought as much. The likeness is uncanny." Melinoe replied.

"Mom says I look a lot like my dad, but you should see Boruto," Himawari added, falling into step next to Hecate and surprising the elder-looking woman. With her hands behind her back, Himawari looked the picture of innocence.

"Boruto?"

"My big brother. He's three years older, though I'm much more mature." Himawari looked proud of that statement, gaining a smug look, "Even Mom says so. Grandma says girls mature quicker then boys, even if they're younger."

"I see. Are there any more kids we should be aware exist? Or does the drachma stop with you and your brother?"

"Nope. Just the two of us." Himawari's face scrunched up in confusion, "What's a drachma?"

The back and forth between Himawari and the immortals continued for the duration of the journey. The pair of immortals answered what they could, though every time Melinoe was about to respond with a question of her own, Himawari would beat her to it. If she didn't know any better, she would have said the girl had Aphrodite's divine essence running through her. However, she couldn't sense a single drop within her body and put that thought to rest.

Eventually, after another ten minutes of walking and making idle chat with their fourth companion, they found themselves at the end of the path with Jiraiya standing at an opening in the tree waiting for them.

"So, are you both ready?"

"Ready? For what?"

"To get your answers." He revealed, "To understand who Naruto Uzumaki is and the man he is, you have to speak to the people who knew him the best. The people he affected while still alive and who made the biggest impact on him as a person. As much as I'd like to take all the credit, I'm but one factor to his make-up. To understand him, you have to speak to the people who love him the most."

Both nodded and made a step forward when Jiraiya put his arm, blocking their path.

"What is it?" Hecate asked, glancing at the man from the corner of her eyes. Her spear was still in her grip and toyed with it between her fingers. Deep down, a small part of her hoped he tried something. Despite being willing to aid Melinoe in her quest to know more about Naruto Uzumaki, the Goddess of Magic wanted to demonstrate his taking off her spear was a fluke. She wouldn't be caught unprepared again.

"I want to make one thing clear about what your walking in too." His dark eyes hardened. Despite being a spirit, an aura of authority hummed around him, reminding them both of the elder gods. It was a way to command the attention of the people in the room, "I've let you come this far because I think you're honest in your intentions, and I like to think I'm a good read on people. Then again, I willingly admit that in the past, I've made some mistakes, and put my trust in the wrong people." The image of his former teammate flashed across his mind, "All I'm going to tell you both is this. If I detect even a hint of deceit in your words, and about your intentions, you will be sorry."

The air bristled around the two immortals, and both stood straighter. The atmosphere became heavier.

"Are you threatening us, spirit?" Hecate asked, wishing now more than ever to poke him full of holes with her spear.

"It's not a wise course of action," Melinoe added, standing shoulder to shoulder with the elder immortal. The whites of their eyes began to glow, and shine with brilliant gold.

One would have thought two goddesses like themselves standing side by side and facing down a single soul would have forced the individual to shudder in terror and regret speaking. Instead, the white-haired man backed up his claim by crossing his arms and staring them down, refusing to budge or show the change in the atmosphere bothered him.

Himawari merely smiled off to the side, and patiently waited for them to finish with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Maybe not, but my words still stand," Jiraiya added. He showed no sign of letting the leak of power coming from the pair bother him. It looked like it barely tickled him.

Allowing for cooler heads to prevail and seeing their show of strength wasn't having the desired effect, Melinoe was the first to lose her glow, followed soon after by Hecate. The power leaking out form them was only a small portion of their divine essence, but neither could afford to release anything higher. Otherwise, they run the risk of being noticed by Hades and Thanatos.

"We stand by what I told you earlier. We're here to learn and nothing more. Afterwards, we'll leave you all peace."

A hum emanated from Jiraiya's throat, glancing at the two immortals for a moment, "Just so you know if you did try something," He pointed his thumb at the opening, "The people on the other side will make you regret it. We might not have our chakra in death, but that doesn't make us useless."

With that, Jiraiya spun around walked through the entrance and made a motion for everyone to follow him. Himawari skipped along in front of them, and after a moment of letting his words sink in, Melinoe and Hecate followed suit. Just who in the world was waiting for them on the other side?

And what was chakra?

Stepping through the clearing, Melinoe found herself stopping after only a couple of steps through the opening in the trees. The area they were in was idyllic, and how mortals must imagine paradise. A small lake sat to the left of them with a bank of white sand settled between the water and the grass. One the sand, she spied a group of people with their backs to them, situated around a barbeque and a set picnic blankets. What made her stop, however, was the man waiting for the halfway between them and the group.

If she didn't already know Naruto Uzumaki was alive, she would claim that he stood in front of them. The same blue eyes, and the shock of golden sun-kissed hair. He looked no older than his mid-twenties. When the man began walking closer, Melinoe started to see the slight differences between them. The man's hair was longer, with bangs framing his face, and his face was more angular. He lacked the whisker-like markings on his cheeks too and held an aura of confidence around him. Looking at him with a hard gaze, she could tell he was the kind of man who would catch the attention of the Goddess of Wisdom. His eyes held an intelligence in them that would catch her attention with a glance.

"Jiraiya-sensei. It's about time you arrived," They heard the man reply, stopping a few feet from Jiraiya and smiling at the older man, "And you brought guests?" His gaze swept over them, and to their surprise, gave a small bow, "It's nice to meet you. I'm Minato."

"Grandpa! Look! Look!" Himawari skipped over to the man, and the pair watched as Minato put his arm around the girl and placed a delicate kiss on the top of her head. The act made the girl beam with delight, "These are my two new friends, Melinoe and Hecate. Their goddesses! And they know Dad!"

_'This is Naruto's father."_ Melinoe realised in her head and shared a look with Hecate. The Goddess of Magic noticed realised it too, '_He must have died young if he looks the same age as his son.'_

Minato blinked in surprise. His mouth was trying to form words, but nothing was coming out. He turned to look at Jiraiya, who remained silent, though nodded his head to confirm her words.

Audibly gulping, he asked, "You know my son?" A hopeful look was in his eyes.

"We do."

"They came hoping to learn more about the blonde gaki," Jiraiya mentioned, as he set off towards the group resting on the sand. The group were all looking their way, likely wondering who their guests were, "I saw no harm."

Instantly, Melinoe and Hecate found themselves ushered forward, with Minato gently guiding Melinoe forward and Jiraiya walking behind her at a leisurely pace. Hecate was being pulled forward by Himawari, the little girl with one of her hands on the goddesses wrist. Though surprised at how overly friendly the young girl was, she didn't fight it and make a scene. The girl appeared curious about her. She wasn't used to children acting in such a way around her. Most tended to keep their distance thanks to the mysterious aura she outputted.

"Kushina! Come here for a moment!" Minato called out, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"You too, Mama! Boruto!" Himawari shouted, giggling all the while.

Shrugging, Jiraiya added his voice, "Hime. You might as well too."

Reacting to the voice, Melinoe watched as the four figures, now realising they were the bodies of three women and a teenage boy, all got up and met them halfway.

The first person Melinoe paid attention to was the teenage boy. It wasn't hard to determine who he was, given he shared the same blonde hair and blue eyes as his father and grandfather. The main difference was the scar that ran down his right eye, given him the kind of appeal that would draw the likes of Aphrodite out from her temple. He was handsome too, not that it looks was doing anything for her. It was just something she noticed. He stood taller than the three women.

From the women, the first she focused on was the woman in the middle. It was hard to look away. Her hair was the most beautiful shade of red Melinoe had ever seen and reached to her shins. It was perfectly straight, with it flowing from side to side like a velvety curtain. It was hard not to reach out and run her hand through to see if it was as silky as she imagined. Her eyes were the colour violet, and she stood the shortest of the three women. Looking at her features, Melinoe could see distinct similarities between this woman and Naruto.

The shape of her face.

The shape of her eyes.

Her smile.

She could only be one person.

The second woman also had a feature that caught her attention, though it wasn't her hair.

'Woh! Look at the size of those!'

Admittedly, the first thing she noticed was the woman's chest. To say she was busty was an understatement. Her grandmother, Lady Demeter, was known throughout Olympus to be the bustiest of her fellow goddesses. Something she enjoyed lauding over them whenever she had too much of Dionysus's wine. This woman was comparable, if not a little bigger! If she was still alive, she had no doubt one of the gods would have tried to woo her.

Along with her notable bust, her blonde hair fell into pig-tails down to the middle of her back. Her eyes were also hazel. She was beautiful.

_'Who am I kidding? All I can look at are those giant melons!'_

Ending with the third woman, she too was beautiful and exotic looking. One look at the woman's indigo hair cut into a bob was enough for Melinoe to know who she was. Like Naruto, many of her features passed down to Himawari. Her skin was a tone lighter than the other two women but stood the tallest out of the three. She dressed conservative, but it did little to hide the curves sitting beneath the fabric.

What was it with the women of the Golden Age? Why were they all stunning? Something in the water? Aphrodite wasn't born from the sea until centuries later, so there were no daughters of Aphrodite running around yet.

"Let me introduce you to four of the most important people in the gaki's life," Jiraiya told her, and pointed at each one as they neared the group, "The kid is Boruto, his son. Though you probably already figured that out." Melinoe nodded, "The blonde woman is Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage and my old teammate. You could say she was a motherly figure in his life, trying to keep him on the straight and narrow when his knucklehead ways got him into trouble. The redhead is Kushina, his Mom, and Minato's wife. She runs a tight ship in their marriage if you know what I mean." He followed up his statement with a whip noise. In front of them, Minato turned and frowned at his sensei, earning a shrug from the older man, "Finally, the lovely lady with indigo hair is Hinata, his wife and the love of his life."

Though she figured that out already, Melinoe was grateful for the confirmations.

"Who's this?" Tsunade asked the first to reach them with a raised eyebrow. She looked the two goddesses up and down, her guard up around the pair of strangers, "I've never seen either of them from around here, and we know everyone. Who are you, girlie?"

_'Girlie?'_

Melinoe and Hecate opened their mouths to speak, though Jiraiya beat them to it.

"Now, now, Hime. Is that any way to speak to a pair of goddesses." Jiraiya asked.

Instantly, both eyebrows rose from the statement. "Goddesses? Seriously, Jiraiya? How much sake have you been drinking?"

"It's true. I swear!"

"It's true, Granma Tsunade! They are goddesses!" Himawari added, letting go of Hecate and moving next to Tsunade, looking up at her with those big blue eyes, "Pervy Sage wouldn't lie about something like that."

"I think you give him too much credit," Tsunade mumbled, though patted the little girl on the head.

Jiraiya slumped, his arms hanging in the air, "So mean, Hime."

"For good reason, you perve!"

_'Okay, this is taking longer then I imagined.'_ Melinoe thought and decided to intervene before an argument broke out. The blonde woman, Tsunade, looked ready to knock Jiraiya in the air if the twitch of her right fist was any indication.

"He tells the truth. My name is Melinoe, Goddess of Ghosts and the daughter of Hades, Ruler of the Underworld." That piece of information was enough to catch their attention, "I'm here to learn about Naruto Uzumaki."

Instantly, their backs all straightened and stared at the goddesses with something akin to wonder and shock.

"You know my Dad!" Boruto whispered, his eyes shimmering with a mixture of denial and hope.

"I wouldn't say I know him, but I've met him." She revealed, their focus on her unwavering, "He's a peculiar man. Since he appeared, the gods of my family have been drawn to him like a flame attracts a moth. You're souls that predate my family, the Olympians. We are a family of gods that rule over much of the world in secret, doing so for over five thousand years. Naruto Uzumaki, for reasons I failed to understand at first, had connections and ties to you all, which should be impossible. Now though, that question is answered given I have learned your relations with him. However," Her frown deepened, "A new question has appeared. If Naruto Uzumaki was alive in your time, a time we refer to as the Golden Age, then how is he still alive all these millennia later?"

As she spoke, everyone, Jiraiya, Himawari and Minato included, looked as if a fist hit them in the gut. Minato turned around and put his hands over his head, now letting everyone see his trouble expression. His wife moved over to his side, a dazed expression on her face, mumbling something to herself and shaking her head.

"Minato.."

"I know, Kushina. I know."

"Why isn't he here with us?" The question broke through as a sob escaped the red-haired woman, prompting her blonde husband to put an arm around her shoulders and bring her in close.

"Five thousand years?" Jiraiya muttered to himself, shaking his head and looking at the ground.

"Has it been that long?" Boruto added, his hands in his pockets and swallowed a thick gulp.

"Time works a little different in here compared to the rest of the world," Hecate revealed, watching Himawari move to stand beside her mother, "After a while, time becomes distorted."

"Is-Is he okay?" A muffled voice asked. The voice came from Hinata, the pale-eyed woman who had her mouth covered by her hands. Her knee's looked ready to give out. Slowly, she was walking until she stopped a foot away from the goddess of Ghosts, "Is he okay?"

"For the most part," She revealed, revealing what she sensed from Naruto concerning his emotional ties to them, "He misses you all. He misses you all a great deal."

A sob broke from Hinata, "We miss him. I-I miss him."

"Do you have any answers to my question? How after all this time, he's still alive?"

She was hoping for some kind of answer that would fill in the blank pieces in her mind. If anyone knew, it must be the family?

To her disbelief, it was Boruto who answered her, and it wasn't the answer she hoped to get.

"We were hoping you might know that answer...beasue we don't know either."

* * *

After the eventful day at the Fox's Den and finding himself forced to close early for the day, the blonde shinobi found himself entertaining his two guests at his home. Despite living in New York for nearly six months, this was the first time he had guests. Fortunately, he didn't need to worry about impressing either of them with the inside of his home. Any renovations he was making to the townhouse ended over a fortnight ago, leaving him pleased with the work he and his clones put in.

One guest was still unconscious in one of the guest rooms. A glass of water sat on the bedside table, with a pack of aspirin ready and waiting for the oncoming headache the blonde woman was going to experience. He didn't envy her. Then again, she only had herself to blame.

His other guest though he was entertaining in his kitchen, awaiting the dinner he promised her when transporting them from the Den. Her dark blue eyes radiated excitement and licked her lips as the smell wafted around her nose. It was adorable. A glass that was half-full of juice sat to one side with a tiny splash next to coster. A stack of papers with coloured pens and pencil sat neatly in the corner.

"Order up! One cheeseburger with no pickles and a side of curly fries for the little lady." Naruto called out, striding across his kitchen with the plate resting on his fingertips.

"Yay!" The little girl cheered, eyes lighting up when the plate sat in front of her.

Bringing Thalia and her Mom to his home was not something he planned when the older woman fell into unconsciousness. His first train of thought had been to call the emergency services and have someone come and pick them up. In all likely hood, ending up drunk with your kid in tow would not go down well with the authorities. If the local child services got involved, they would inevitably conduct some form of investigation on the pair. They would want to know if today's actions on the mother's behalf for getting drunk in the middle of the day was a regular occurrence or a one-off.

Either way, he'd been a second away from walking to his phone when he noticed eyes watching them from across the road, hidden behind the trashcans and dumpsters. Someone like Thalia, who gave off an aura that attracted the worst kind of creatures in her general direction, was like honey to a hungry bear. To him, monsters left him well enough alone, no matter which corner of the world.

Let's just say, monsters, no matter the pantheon, chose to keep their distance from the shinobi. It wasn't in their best interest unless they wanted a one-way ticket to Hell.

Monsters, no matter what form they took, took a keen interest in Demi-Gods. It was like they were the special of the day on a menu for an exclusive diner that catered only to monsters. A rare treat that they couldn't ignore, no matter how hard they tried. Little Thalia, with the aura she didn't know she possessed, was like a magnet for those monsters. If it wasn't for his presence near the little girl, then he imagined those monsters would have tried to swarm the house if the opportunity appeared. He wasn't about to let that happen.

So, before leaving the Fox's Den with Thalia clinging to his side, and her mother sleeping on his back in the form of a piggyback, he sent another clone to take care of the creature before it gathered it's courage.

When the memories of his clone returned to him, all he found was his clone landing on the shoulders of a wide-shouldered one-eyed man. He didn't give the creature a chance to react before twisting his body around and snapping the creature's neck with an audible crunching noise. The last thing he saw was the monster bursting into a cloud of gold dust before the clone dispelled himself.

Taking a seat next to her at the little table tucked away in the kitchen, he watched with an amused smile as she tore away at the burger. He tried not to laugh, but the little girl had ketchup all over her mouth. She was about to wipe her mouth with her sleeve before he stopped her. Grabbing a napkin laid out on the table, he gently wiped her face.

"We don't want ketchup and grease all over you nice clothes, do we?" He couldn't stop the smile on his face.

"It doesn't matter. It's only clothes!" The girl whined, causing him to chuckle. The way she wriggled around and pouted when he cleared her face reminded him of the times he did something similar for Boruto. Himawari was a little angel when it came to keeping herself clean. Boruto, on the other hand, was the polar opposite. If he saw a puddle in the street, his little boy had to jump in it, while Himawari would walk around it. Judging by Thalia pouty face, she was in the same vein as his son.

Then again, he was the same way at that age too.

"I know, but I'm sure you're Mom spent a lot of money on them. We don't want to ruin them, do we?"

The pout continued, and his smile widened when she let out a low huff. She was so cheeky!

Before long, she was devouring the curly fries at an astonishing rate, reminding him of a particular customer who shovelled cake into her mouth like it was her last meal. At the very least, Thalia had better table manners and stopped to breathe.

"Wow." He said, watching as Thalia finished the final few curly fries and look up at him with those big blue eyes, "That was yummy?"

The little girl hummed, nodding her head, "Uhuh! It was good! It was the best burger ever!"

"Really!? Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I don't get to make cheeseburgers and curly fries often, but I'm glad you liked it."

She grinned up at him, "They're my favourite!"

"I could tell. I didn't think someone so small could eat it that quickly. I wonder where it all goes?"

Thalia's face scrunched up, "Mouuu, I'm not little!"

Chuckling, he patted the top of her head. Despite having met a few hours ago, he got the chance to chat with Thalia as prepared her dinner. He listened to her retell the story of what happened with her Mom in a way only a four-year-old could. It took a few minutes to absorb the information, but he thought he understood the gist of what happened yesterday.

According to Thalia, she and her Mom lived in L.A. At least, that's what he assumed when she said she lived in a house near the big word on the hill. She and her Mom had gotten on a plane yesterday and flew to New York, with her Mom bringing with them a suitcase full of dresses, shoes and make-up. From the way she described them, it sounded like they weren't the cheap kinds either. He got the feeling Thalia didn't care much for dresses and made a face when she described her Mom spending the whole night trying on different dresses and different shoes. When they woke up, she dragged Thalia out and told her they were going to see her father.

Afterwards, she reiterated what he already knew. They went to the big building, the Empire State Building, and tried to get in the elevator. However, before they could step through the gates, a man stopped them and told them they couldn't go up. Her Mom argued with the man, pulling Thalia in front of her and pointing to her. The man looked at her once but repeated the same thing over and over again.

That's when her Mom started shouting, demanding to see Zeus.

_'Zeus.'_ Naruto thought, his fingers tapping against the table.

The Big Man of Olympus.

The God of the Sky.

The King of the Gods.

And Thalia's biological father.

He knew Thalia's divine parent had to be a powerful god, but he didn't think it was would be that one. Mythology always pictured Zeus the same. A large, broad-chested man standing larger then any man had any right to be, wielding the power of lightning with his bare hands and casting judgement onto those who wronged him. He was married to a beautiful goddess, and yet couldn't help but be led astray and into the waiting arms of one woman to the next. In this case, that woman was Thalia's Mom, and Thalia was the result of their union.

Despite all his time walking the world, the blonde shinobi didn't have the pleasure of meeting the man. A part of him hoped he didn't have to. The God of the Sky didn't provide him with the best impression.

Eventually, Thalia's Mom gave up and found herself in a bar not far from the famous skyscraper. Apparently, to his surprise, Thalia's mom was a famous tv actress. He wasn't big on tv, so this was news to him. When she stepped into the bar, no one paid any attention to the little girl that was with her. All they cared about was giving the celebrity free drinks and gaining some of the fame she carried with her. After a few hours, she wound up at the Foxs Den, and the rest was history.

He could only imagine what someone of Thalia's age thought of the whole situation. A mother who drunk her sorrows away, and a father who was absent for all her life. Her mom had done enough thus far for Thalia that she appeared to be happy and healthy. However, in his mind, a cocktail of chaos was slowly beginning to bubble up from within the small family unit. Thalia's mom had fallen into the hands of God and fallen for his charm. Now, despite being given the greatest gift of all, it still wasn't enough.

Feeling someone pull on his shirt sleeve, Naruto broke out of his thoughts and turned to Thalia.

"Sorry, Thalia. Did you say something?"

"I said, what are we having for dessert?" He could see the excitement in her eyes. Seeing that look, how could he disappoint her?

The smile returning to his face, Naruto stood up from his chair and tapped his chin.

"Hmm, let me think." He wandered over to the fridge and opened the door to the mini freezer. Building up dramatics, he reached inside and shuffled his hand to build up the dramatics. Thalia had turned around on her chair, her knee's resting on the seat and her chin and fingers sitting on the backrest. The little girl gave Naruto her full attention as he continued to mess around.

Pulling out his arm, he pulled out a big tub of ice cream and laughed when he got an excited yelp from Thalia. He could have made anything for the little girl. If she wanted it, then he would make it, no matter how long it took him. Cake, pie, tarts, anything. However, sometimes when you've had a hard day, and you needed comfort food, there was few better than ice cream. Sometimes, even he enjoyed taking the tub out of the freezer and chowing down with a spoon in his hand.

Pulling out a little spoon for Thalia and a big spoon for himself, he flicked off the top of the tub with his thumb and planted it on the table between them. Handing her the spoon, Thalia was quick to notice the flavour.

"Chocolate!" Thalia said in glee. Naruto winked at her and made her giggle. Chocolate was the best flavour.

"Of course. It's the best flavour." Scooping some up, he sighed happily as the rich taste of the icecream enveloped his tastebuds, "You better take some, or I might eat it all."

He heard the gasp from Thalia and watched the little spoon get put into action. Soon enough, her face covered in ice cream. Unlike before, he didn't wipe her face since he was aware of the streak of chocolate running down his chin. He heard Thalia giggle at his face, and stuck his tongue out in response. When she did the same, the two fell into a fit of giggles.

All the while, one thought was running through his mind.

_'Don't get too attached.'_

It was hard not to. The little girl was like a breath of fresh air. A pure soul that he wasn't sure the world deserved.

She would be gone once her Mom woke up, returning to L.A, and he would be a memory she would forget.

Hours later, Naruto found himself in the second guest bedroom, gently lowering Thalia onto the sheets. The little girl had been a bundle of energy after her dessert, and after a while, he found himself dusting off some old board games in the attic to keep her entertained. It was after the sixth game of chutes and ladders did Thalia's eyes begin to droop. He told himself it was only a matter of time. He stood correct when she released a series of yawns.

Having the sense to send a clone to pick up an extra toothbrush while they played, he took the girls shoes and socks off before lowering her head onto the pillow. He chuckled when a cute little snore broke out. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow. He pulled the covers up to her shoulders, watching with tender eyes as she shuffled around before falling still. Soon enough, the only sounds coming from Thalia were the sounds of her breathing.

"Goodnight Thalia." He whispered, lowering himself to kiss the girl on the head but stopped himself halfway. A frown washed over his face, shaking his head as the realisation of what he was doing hit him. Instead, he gently patted her on the shoulder and tiptoed out the room, leaving the halfway light on and the door ajar slightly. Most kids didn't like the dark.

"What a day this turned out to be." He muttered to himself, noticing the door to Thalia's mother's room was still closed. He was beginning to doubt the woman would be up until tomorrow. She already slept the rest of the afternoon and the evening away. Heading down the staircase, he picked up a small stack of paper on a side cabinet beside the doors and headed into his kitchen. Making himself a coffee, decaff, since he didn't want to be up all night, he settled in for the evening and took out a pen from one of the many draws spread out through the kitchen.

Ripping open the seal on the envelope, he sighed as he laid out all the bits of paper occupied inside.

Bills. Everyone's favourite chores. These were the bills for The Fox's Den.

"Alright. Let's assess the damage this time."

It was around 11 pm, just as Naruto had finished up his duties for the evening that he heard movement coming from above him. The bills were paid and filed away, and the specials for the next couple of weeks finished when the familiar sound of feet hitting carpet reached his ears. Putting down his half-drunk second decaffeinated coffee of the evening, he focused on the movement coming from above.

He closed his eyes. The footsteps wandered the guest room for a couple of minutes. She was likely gathering her bearings and trying to figure out where she was. It must have been disorientating waking up in a place you didn't recognise after binging harsh alcohol. Her head must have been killing her, and he hoped for her sake, she took the painkillers he left on the bedside table.

After five minutes, he heard the sound of the guestroom door open with a soft click and his guest walk into the hallway. The footfalls went all along the carpet, the clicks of doors opening as the woman checked each room. When she got to room Thalia was residing in, he listened to her walk inside, and approach the bed. He could picture it in his head, the blonde woman with her hair a mess kneeling next to the bed her daughter was sleeping peacefully in, her hand gently stroking the top of her hair. She would whisper soft nothings in her ear. Little things that a parent would say to their children while they slept.

He smiled at the image.

Instead, he was surprised to hear her say nothing, not even a whisper. She stayed in there for a minute top before he heard her leave the room. His eyes reopened as her feet hit the stairs and started descending to the ground floor. A frown formed on his face.

_'What's she doing?'_ He thought to himself. He slowly stood up and settled himself under the arch that connected the hallway and the kitchen, waiting for the woman to appear. A pit was forming in his stomach. One he hoped was over nothing.

Eventually, Thalia's Mom set foot on the ground floor, her shoes in one of her hands along with her purse. She stopped momentarily to let out a series of coughs, before wiping her mouth with her hand and rubbing it away on her clothes. He almost snorted at the action. It was the same action as her daughter from earlier.

Patiently, he was waiting for her to turn around and notice him, watching as she slipped her feet back into her heels. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and his breath hitched. Instead of turning around, her hand reached the handle for the front door.

_'She wouldn't.'_

Click

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

The sound of his voice was enough to make the woman jumped a foot in the air. She spun around and pressed her back against the door, pushing it to a close. Her wide eyes looked at him fearfully as he leaned against the wall, staring at her with a neutral gaze. Her blonde hair swept down one side, and her clothes were full of wrinkles from lying on the bed.

"Who are you?" She breathed out, a large gulp rolling down her throat. One of her hands idly played with the door handle.

"Naruto Uzumaki. You came into my coffee shop, remember?" He replied, "Or maybe you don't remember that. You weren't in the best condition when you came in." He made a motion with his hands, "This is my home. I brought you here when you collapsed." She looked better and didn't look like a zombie trying to stay upright.

"Oh."

"What's your name by the way? I'm sure you have a name, besides being known as Thalia's Mom. I'd like to know the name of the woman who collapsed at my place of work."

"B-Beryl. Beryl Grace." She replied, fear still laced in her voice, "You don't know who I am? I'm pretty famous." An incredulous looked briefly flashed on her face like she wasn't used to not getting recognised. Ahh, to be famous in the modern world.

The blonde shook his head, "I'm afraid not. Thalia said you were an actress, but I doubt I've seen anything you've acted in."

"Why not?"

He shrugged, "I'm not much of a television person, I guess. Never have been. Though, I catch the odd movie from time to time." The last movie he remembered seeing was Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace back in 1999. It was an experience.

"T-That's nice. There aren't many people like that these days."

"I'm a rare breed I guess," Naruto smiled, before adding, "Back to my earlier statement though. Where are you going? Thalia's still asleep. Don't you want to be here when she wakes up in the morning? I can make you both breakfast if you'd like that. I'm told by a reliable source that I make a damn good stack of pancakes."

He hoped to see the woman react. Instead, Beryl didn't say anything. She averted her eyes from his and was trying to look anywhere else. It wasn't going in the direction he was hoping.

Silence befell them before Naruto broke it with a deep sigh. It was a scenario that was getting worse by the second. Beryl didn't appear to want to give him an answer to his question. He could see her hand was still firmly on the door handle. Her thumb itching to twist and pull.

"You were trying to leave." He came out and said it aloud. The moment his words were spoken he noticed Beryl's shoulders twitch, and shuffle on the spot, "You were trying to abandon your daughter in the home of someone you don't know?" He wasn't exactly a stranger to Thalia anymore, but the statement still stood. He was someone the little girl had known for less than a day. No parent in their right mind would leave their child with someone they only just met.

Beryl didn't react. Instead, she kept looking at the ground and averted her gaze. In a sudden move, her hand twisted the handle, pulling the door open and breathing fresh air into the house. She turned around and tried to run out the house, but was taken aback when Naruto appeared next to her. His hand was pressed on the door and guided it back to the lock. He stood there and looked at Beryl with a frosty gaze.

"Ssshh, otherwise you'll wake Thalia."

"How did you move so fast!" She hissed, "You were on the other side of the hallway! Who are you!" The blonde shinobi was a little surprised she got over his speed so quickly but pushed it to the back of his mind. She must have been used to seeing strange things dating the God of the Sky.

"Someone who cares, and who doesn't want to watch a little girl get her heartbroken from being abandoned by the one parent she has left." He replied, "You're her mother. You're supposed to be setting an example for her!"

"I never asked to be a parent!" Beryl glared back, finding some confidence and squaring her shoulders, "It was never supposed to be the plan!"

"Plans change."

"Not mine. My plan was simple because the only person I had to worry about was myself. A child was never on the to-do list." One hand clenched into a fist, "Awards and riches were supposed to mine. I have a talent few in America can match. I was told so by everyone! Then **he** shows up and gets me knocked up when everything was taking off for me!" The venom behind her words surprised him, given how she'd gone begging to her lover's door just to see him.

"When Zeus showed up, you mean." Revealing his awareness to the father of her child was enough for Beryl to widen her eyes in surprise, "You were calling out his name earlier before you collapsed."

She looked like she swallowed a lemon, and pushed down a harsh gulp before asking, "So you know?"

He nodded, "I'm aware that the old myths are not as fictitious as we should believe. Can't say I've met Big Z. I'm not sure I want to if half the things I've heard are true." The gods and goddesses he'd met thus far were one thing, but the King was another matter entirely. He wasn't sure he was ready for someone with an ego that made teen Sasuke look like a chump in comparison.

He waved a hand in the air, a mask of calm taking over his face "Look. I'm not going to tell you how to run your life. At the end of the day, you're an adult, and it's your life. You get the final say in it. However," He pointed up towards the stairs, "As a parent, your actions have a ripple effect and cross over onto the lives of our children. They need us, and it's up to us to keep them safe and ensure they grow up to be happy. Do you have any idea what kind of effect your choices over the last couple of days have had on Thalia? Being dragged across the country, and forced to watch as the only parent she's ever known crumbles in front of her and throws herself into drunken oblivion!"

Beryl tried to speak, but Naruto didn't give her the opportunity and kept going.

"No, I don't think you do! Plans change! Nine times out of ten, life throws a curveball at us that change everything. You might not have the awards and riches you were hoping to have, but you have something far more precious. You have a beautiful little girl who calls you her Mom. There are people in the world who would give up everything you mentioned to have that. Being a parent is a blessing. Having a child of your own who looks up to you, who needs your love and nurture is one of the best experiences we could have. Don't throw it away because life hasn't gone the way you hoped."

All he could do was speak from the heart. Every word and the energy behind them came from his time loving and raising Boruto and Himawari, and how it made him feel watching them grow. Beryl truly didn't understand how lucky she was. Sure, she was a single parent, and that meant raising Thalia was going be harder. She wouldn't have someone to lean on as other parents did. However, with only the two of them in their little family, it meant the relationship between mother and daughter would grow strong. When Thalia grew up, they could lean on each other. Being the parent of a demigod wouldn't be easy, but he felt they could push forward as long as they had each other.

He hoped Beryl saw the light in his words.

"Are you finished with your speech?"

And his hopes were dashed as quickly as they appeared.

He looked at her with a look of disbelief. He couldn't believe it.

The woman looked at him square in the eye. There wasn't a hint of remorse or sadness in her eyes. All he saw was desperation. Desperation to get rid of the child that she felt was holding her back from attaining everything she dreamed of having.

He couldn't remember the last time he met someone who' selfishness encompassed their whole being.

Shaking his head, Naruto took a couple of steps back, giving Beryl the room to move around. His blue eyes bore into the woman, lace with anger, sadness, and disappointment. He raised his arm, extending towards the door.

"I won't stop you. All I can do is hope you see sense."

As if she was hammering the nail into the coffin, Beryl scoffed. Smoothing down her clothes, she rose her shoulders to look composed. Begining to walk, Beryl didn't even glance his way when moving past. She reached out and pulled the door open. There was no hesitation in her steps, nor did she turn to look back at the stairs that led to her daughter's location.

Watching Beryl step outside, Naruto couldn't help but grit his teeth when he saw her shoulders slack. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought there was a weight on her shoulders, and it finally lifted away. For so long, Beryl must have seen her daughter as little more than dead weight in her life, causing her to sink further and further away from the life she desperately wanted.

"She'll never forgive you," Naruto said aloud as the woman's foot hit the sidewalk, "If you walk away, I promise you it will be the biggest mistake you ever make."

His words rang through the near-silent street, the cars and the few pedestrians passing by being none the wiser as to what was happening. Beryl, for a brief moment, stopped as she prepared to take her second step, and Naruto allowed a sliver of hope to worm it's way inside. It looked like she was about to turn around by the way her torso shivered. Instead, he was left further disappointed as Beryl shook her head, her blonde locks swaying in the air before continuing to walk away.

Naruto stood there on the steps of his home, watching Beryl and hoping she would come back. She never did. When she rounded the corner and disappeared from view, he couldn't contain his feelings anymore and swung his hand down on the metal rail running along with the steps. The bars dented on impact. He turned around and headed back inside.

Closing the door behind him, he leaned on the door and closed his eyes as he took in what just happened.

"What do I do now?" He muttered to himself. Right now, a demigod no older than four was sleeping soundly, unaware that the only parent she had in her life had walked away and out of her life.

He might not have an answer, but he knew someone who could give him one.

Pushing himself off the door, he walked into the living room and kneeled in front of the old fireplace that came with the house. Making the tiger hand sign, he performed a small fire jutsu to get a fire going before throwing a few extra pieces of wood to keep the fire burning.

"That'll do," He muttered to himself, feeling the heat of the fire brush against his skin. Leaving the room and walking back into the kitchen, he focused on the blue and white tin sat beside a wooden rack with half a dozen coffee mugs sitting neatly in rows of three. Lifting the lid a dozen cupcakes sat neatly in two rows of six. The bottom row was decorated with swirls of strawberry frosting, while the top was filled with vanilla. He made them the day before and was glad he did. While they weren't necessarily needed, it did coax the person he needed to come quicker.

Food was the best method to entice a person after all.

Taking one of the vanilla cupcakes, he walked back into the living room and kneeled by the fire.

"Sorry I waited this long to invite you over, but I could use your help. I'm in a bit of pinch."

With that statement, he threw the cupcake into the fire. It took a few moments before the desired effect took hold. Instead of watching the sweet treat begin to burn, the flames wrapped around it before vanishing into smoke.

He didn't have to wait long. Half a minute later, a gentle knock at the front door alerted him to the visitor, and a familiar aura appeared outside his home. Standing up and walking to the door, he grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open. His earlier grim expression washed away, and a small smile appeared on his face as his blue eyes found himself staring into a pair of warm brown eyes. The scent of toasted marshmallows wafted around his nose.

In the palm of her hand sat the cupcake that vanished in the fire moments earlier, already half-eaten and with frosting decorating the woman's lips. He would have made fun of her, but he was too happy to see her to even think about doing it.

The woman smiled at him as she gently wiped away flecks of frosting with her index finger. Her dark hair fell into ringlets around her face, swaying as she moved.

"Hello, Naruto."

His smile widened.

"Hello, Hestia."

* * *

**That was another long one. I never set out for these chapters to be 10,000+, but I tend to get carried away and we end up there anyway. As you can see, Hestia and Naruto know each other. You will see what kind of a relationship they have in the next chapter, where they will be the main focus. **

**You have all guessed correctly what will be happening with Thalia. I originally wanted Naruto to father a demigod with a goddess, but there are already a couple of stories where that happens. A Fathers Love being the big one that jumps out. Instead, I don't think I've seen one where Naruto takes in a demigod. It's something a bit different. The scene where Beryl leaves was hard to figure out, so I hope it was okay. **

**I won't spoil much. This has been a nice little time away from the cafe, but not to worry to those who love those scenes. We will be returning soon enough. **

**Thanks for reading everyone. Please review and let me know what you all thought. **


	11. Part Xl

**In my culture, death is not the end. It's more of a stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands, and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green veld where you can run forever.**

**Chadwick Boseman**

**1976-2020**

**Rest in Power and Peace**

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity **

**Part Xl**

**Years Ago**

Away from Olympus, Hestia could finally hear herself think as she kept her eyes on the dark path ahead of her. Selene's light illuminated her way as she trekked through the undergrowth.

The first decade had come and gone since the Olympians had begun their rule over the known world and as expected, her youngest brother and King of the Gods had something big planned for Olympus. All the gods that aligned with Olympus gathered together in the Throne Room and listened as Zeus decreed a week-long celebration to commemorate their victory over the Titans. The announcement made her roll her eyes good-naturedly but seeing her siblings excited at the prospect of a week of fun was enough for her to support the decision. It was just a very Zeus decision.

The King of the Gods loved a good party, though what he loved more was the beautiful nymphs who vied for his attention in their short-length chitons and fluttering eyes. She was sure that was why Zeus threw as many parties and celebrations as he did. He had a weakness when it came to pretty girls, and his wandering eyes and hands were going to get him in trouble one day. She could only hope he and Metis one day tied the knot. She felt Zeus was the kind of man who needed a strong woman to anchor him down and keep him from getting away with everything.

Metis was strong-willed and smart. The perfect choice for someone like her youngest brother.

Though she wasn't a goddess who frequented many parties and kept to herself most days, the anniversary provided her with the chance to see all her brothers and sisters. Since coming into their domains, Zeus, Poseidon and Hades were rarely in the same room as each other. Hades, since taking over the Underworld, rarely came above ground. Her brother didn't talk much about the work he was doing beneath the earth on the few meeting they shared over the decade. All she got was the snippets from her mother. According to her, the Underworld had been a mess when Hades took over, and Hades was doing everything he could to overhaul it and bring the creatures that dwelled there to heel.

For Poseidon and Zeus, taking control over the Sky and the Sea was simpler. With Poseidon, reign over the Sea was smoothly passed over to Poseidon by their uncle, the eldest of the Titans, Oceanus. The Titan of the Sea was the only son of Ouranos and Gara that refused to aid Kronos in his war against the younger immortals and remained a neutral party. The elder Titan left for deeper sanctuaries within the Ocean along with Tethys and many of their children. Since then, Poseidon had built his palace to rival Olympus, to which he dubbed Atlantis. Though she visited only one, Atlantis was a sight to behold.

Zeus, on the other hand, had assumed the role of God of the Sky in no time, due to the Sky having no one to rule over it since the slaying of Ouranos. The sky had remained untouched, with only Helios and Selene to safeguard it until someone assumed power over it. It fitted Zeus to a tee and went pleasantly with his dominion over lightning. She feared the kind of fun Zeus could get up to up there.

Two days into the celebration on Olympus, Hestia decided she needed some much-needed peace. She tried to escape to her temple to get a few hours to herself, but she was rudely interrupted by Demeter and Selene. The Moon Titan and the Goddess of the Harvest wasted little time in looping their arms through hers and dragging her back to the throne room. Everyone cheered when Hestia got pulled back, making her huff in annoyance at her rotten luck.

After much due diligence on her part, she was finally able to slip away unseen and unnoticed when everyone was distracted by the scene of Hera trying to poke Helios full of holes with her spear. The Sun Titan continuously tried and failed to woo the young goddess. The only thing he was successful in was pushing Hera's buttons and causing her infamous temper to spike. For once, she would have to thank the Sun Titan for his efforts, despite him being none the wiser.

With Olympus out of her line of sight, she took to the earth and walked with no clear path on her mind. The world was vast, and she had yet to see the wonders that Mother Earth provided them in plenty. After the Great Shift from Gaea at the end of the Titanomachy, much of the known world had changed. A new world was ready to be explored, with mountains unclimbed and forests untouched. She remembered watching as the world earth began to change, and she couldn't deny a small part of her was excited at the new prospects she could examine.

One day, perhaps she could say with certainty that the Goddess of the Hearth had walked the earth corner to corner. When would that be? She didn't know. She only had an eternity to find out.

She hummed to herself as she walked. Away from Olympus, she trailed the edge of the yet-to-be-named middle continent that rested on Gaea surface. The world had become so different. It was odd to think it was the same one her father once ruled.

"Hmm, what's that?"

There was a soft glow coming from in front of her, a hundred meters away by a cliff face. She was familiar with the type of glow cast. Spying shades of orange and yellow, it was clear someone had a fire going.

'Who could it be?' She wondered. She didn't sense the divine aura from her kin.

Deciding to investigate, Hestia walked towards the faint glow with trepidation. Though there was no divine aura, that didn't mean she didn't need to have her guard up. There was an abundance of creatures that inhabited the world. Lacking a divine aura didn't squander their potential for being lethal and dangerous. Although she wasn't a fighter like her brothers and sisters, it didn't mean she was defenceless. As the Goddess of the Hearth, she possessed divine authority over the fire in a way her siblings could only hope to have. It was comparable to Zeus with lightning, or Poseidon with water. Though her two younger brothers possessed a great deal more in terms of power, her advantage was her advanced control in comparison.

In a short moment, she was near her target. She stood silent in the brush of some tree's, keeping out of sight as a figure sat beside a campfire. The person sat on a log, with his body leaning forward with hands clasped together. His back was facing her, though she could see blonde hair covering his head. It was rather long, with bangs framing his face on both sides and reaching past his chin. He dressed in tattered clothes covered in rips and tears. She frowned. It didn't look like any kind of chiton she'd seen before.

She hid behind a tree. She'd never seen this person before.

_'Is he a human?'_ That should be impossible.

Humanity, or at least, the first generation of humanity was no more. The Golden Generation as some referred to them perished in the Great Shift near the end of the war. When the single landmass that made up the world began to shift and change, the Gods and Titans watched as the world was forced to change. The other pantheons throughout the world, like the Norse and the Egyptians, could do nothing but watch. Despite the history that came with each Pantheon, Gaea was the first. No matter how hard each pantheon tried to dismiss it.

Gaea spared no one. Her creations were taken out of the world by the very person that breathed life into them centuries ago. Why it happened, no one knew. Gaea had been in a constant state of slumber for centuries, ever since the Titans were given the reigns over the kingdom. Her consciousness periodically acted, despite remaining asleep, such as when she shielded Zeus from the Titans and allowed him to grow and attain his strength. The changing of the continent had been without warning, and no one could do anything but get out the way.

When Gaea chose to alter the world, she did so. The choice belonged to no one but the Earth Mother.

To see a survivor after all this time was a surprise.

"I know you're there."

She almost jumped when she heard the voice. It was low and soft, but she heard it as clear as day. The figure was a he, and he hadn't turned around. His back was still facing her.

"I won't hurt you. I just don't like people spying on me." He said again, unclasping his hands and making a motion to the other side of the fire. Another log sat against the earth, "If you'd come any later, that log would be getting used as firewood. Unless you prefer to sit on the ground."

She didn't move at first. Hesitation lingered on her face, though she did peek out from behind the tree, letting the glow of the fire wash over her face. Extending her hand, the man finally moved when a stream of fire shot through the air and curled into Hestia's palm. It moved and danced between her fingers like water, moving around rocks in a river. She didn't want to come across as hostile since the man next to the fire hadn't done anything to warrant it, but she needed him to know that despite her appearance, she wasn't defenceless. She may have been a pacifist by nature, but that by no means meant she was incapable of protecting herself. Numerous members of the Titan forces could attest to that.

"You have fine control over the flames." He replied, with Hestia's getting a good look at the man's blue eyes, "I won't harm you. I have no reason to do so."

She detected no hint of deception in his words. Walking out from the woods, she walked across the campsite, her brown eyes keeping watching on him. She felt his gaze on her as she sat on the log, brushing down the fabric across her knee's. She saw no weapons visible on his person.

"Who are you?"

He looked back at the fire, and Hestia could see the reflective glow in his eyes, "No one special." He admitted, "Just a man who's grown tired with the world."

His eyes were sad and tired. He looked like he hadn't got a wink of sleep in days or weeks.

"You're from the golden generation, aren't you?" She asked.

She tried not to react when he nodded his head. He didn't appear bothered by her statement.

"I am. Very astute of you."

"How are you still alive? We couldn't sense any living member of the golden generation after the continent broke apart. We assumed you all perished." They searched for as long as they could for any survivors before returning to close off the war.

"No. Only I remain." He stated, before adding, "We? You mean your divine brethren?"

Again, she didn't show her surprise. "Yes. You know us?"

"I do," He admitted, "At least, I've heard of you. The Olympians? The one that fought and defeated the Titans." Hearing the question in his words, Hestia nodded, "I'm glad your family won."

"I think most in the world are glad we won. The Titans were responsible for a lot of the world's problems, with my father spearheading them. With them gone, I can only hope my siblings and I can bring about a change for the better."

She heard him hum, watched him nod his head before looking her way again. This time she got a good look at his face. He was still a man in his youth in appearance, with the strangest markings on his cheeks. They reminded her of the whiskers from her mother's pair of lions. His hair even resembled a mane like one too. She remembered observing members of the golden generation in the early days of her release from her father's stomach. She'd been so curious to discover more about the world they lived that she spent weeks just watching and learning. The mortals in the world were bizarre and wore clothing vastly different from their own.

He didn't seem dangerous. Admittedly, looks could be deceiving. Looking at Hera and Demeter, one would not think the two were warriors until you saw Demeter wield a sword and Hera a spear. Many of their foes made the mistake of looking down on them and paid the price.

"Well, I wish you luck. Hopefully, you'll do better than your predecessors."

"I hope that too." She could only hope Zeus didn't fall the same was Kronos did. Their father didn't raise the bar to a high standard.

"So, what brings one such as yourself out to the middle of nowhere?"

"Taking some time to myself. I love my siblings, but they can be a bit much some times." Zeus and Poseidon, in particular, could be very loud and boisterous. Hades could be very glum, and it tended to be infectious. Hera had a temper, and Demeter was very clingy. Each one had their personality quirk. "I enjoy the quieter moments."

An understanding look appeared on his face, "Well, don't let me keep you. Thank you for stopping to talk with me, even if it was brief. Have a good night." He replied, turning away from Hestia and returning his gaze to the fire. It didn't sound dismissive to Hestia. It was more like he wanted to be left alone, despite Hestia getting the sense he wanted the opposite.

"There's no rush."

Her words made him look back again.

"I only just got here, and I wouldn't mind the company.

A lone eyebrow rose, "I thought you wanted to be alone?"

"I wanted to get away from my family for one night, which I've done. Plus, you look like you could use the company."

His expression didn't change from her words.

"You don't know me."

"I don't, though we could change that." She said back, "I'm Hestia. Since you know my name, perhaps I could learn yours?"

He looked at her for a few moments, as if having a silent debate in his mind.

"Naruto. My names Naruto."

A pleased look wove onto her face, "It's nice to meet you, Naruto."

For the first time since she sat down, the edges of his lips edged up.

"You too, Hestia."

* * *

**Present**

Standing in the doorway to the guestroom Thalia was sleeping in, Naruto watched as his old friend took a spot on the bed next to the sleeping girl, smoothing down her dress as she sat down.

Dressed in casual mortal wear, the Goddess of the Hearth gently reached over and swept her fingers through Thalia' dark locks. The girl didn't stir. Instead, the warmth coming from Hestia's palm seemed to comfort the little girl, with the goddess watching as she snuggled herself into a tight ball with the covers wrapping around her like a cacoon.

A gentle hum came from her throat, and her lips curved into a smile. Thalia was a cute one. Being a former member of the Major Twelve Olympians, the eldest daughter of the Titan King had more time then her siblings to watch over the children spawned from her immortal family. Due to her lighter schedule compared to Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, her younger brothers often sought her out and called favours on her to keep an eye on the children with their ichor running in their veins.

Thalia's existence hadn't been a surprise to Hestia. She loved Zeus, but he was too easily led astray from his marriage with Hera. His wandering eyes and hands hadn't settled with growing age, despite being married to one of the most beautiful goddesses in existence. One woman never seemed to be enough for Zeus. The same could be said for her other brothers, though not to the same extreme. Poseidon was much like his younger brother, though he could be picky and didn't try to pick up the first pretty woman that came his way. For Hades, it was companionship to fill the void until Persephone rejoined him in the Underworld.

A low laugh escaped her lips, gaining Naruto's attention.

"What is it?"

Hestia shook her head, making the dark curls of her hair bounce in the air, "It's nothing. I've just never seen one of my brother's children have freckles before."

"Really? None of the other few hundred kids had freckles?"

"I think it's more like a thousand when it comes to Zeus." She chirped back, a finger delicately tracing over Thalia's face, "But no. None of them had a splash of freckles across their nose and cheeks before. She has his traditional features, like his blue eyes and dark hair. I can feel the ozone coming off like a vibration in the air. She'll be a strong one if she makes it to adulthood."

_**If. **_It was a very big _**If.**_ There was no guarantee any demigod could make it out of their teens, or even there preteen life. As the blonde already knew, monsters were attracted to demigods like a moth to a flame. The moment a demigod with a strong enough aura or the scent entered their senses, they took after them. It was like blood in the water sending a shark into a frenzy.

"In the last couple of centuries, I've been keeping an eye on my brother's children from time to time," She told him, "Though, it always possible a few slipped through the cracks. Even I have a hard time keeping track of my brother's infidelities."

"I remember you saying." He replied, watching with a small smile as Hestia interacted with Thalia. Technically, Hestia was Thalia's aunt and wasn't surprised to find out she had been keeping an eye on her when she could spare it, "You keep an eye on Thalia often?"

"From time to time. For the most part, little Thalia has been happy enough, though the mother troubled me from the onset." She turned her head, "If Thalia is here, and Beryl is not, that she chose to walk away from her child?"

"She has," He confirmed, and saw the disappointment and sadness lace through Hestia's features, "Your brother sure knows how to pick them. Beryl showed no remorse or love for her daughter. All she cared about what the fame and riches robbed from her by Thalia's existence." He shook his head in disappointment, "I haven't met such a selfish person like that in some time."

"Sadly, Beryl Grace is not the first mortal parent to abandon their demigod child, nor will she be the last. The gods in my family, as well as the goddesses, don't have the best track record when it comes to the mortals they bring to their beds." She returned her gaze to Thalia. She looked so innocent and uncaring of the future that now sat in front of her. All Hestia could do was hope Morpheus was giving the girl pleasant dreams.

"She is a cute one."

A low laugh came from Naruto, "She is. Cheeky as well."

"Sounds like you got to know her today."

He shrugged, "Someone had to keep an eye on her today. A monster was following them, but I got rid of it before bringing them here. Didn't think I needed any more complications today."

Tucking a strand of Thalia's dark hair away from her face and behind her ear, Hestia quietly stood up from the bed. She made sure the girl was well covered by the sheets, before moving away, "Let's leave her to sleep. I bet today has been a long one for the poor dear." Both Naruto and Hestia left the room, with Naruto silently pulling the door until a three-inch gap remained.

Together, the pair returned downstairs, with the Naruto leading Hestia into the living room. The goddess took the spot on the armchair next to the couch and placed a cushion behind her back. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in her old friends new home. Despite its size, Naruto had done well at making his home feel welcoming. In particular, Hestia eyed up the fireplace that sat in the centre of the wall. The perks of having a friend who's domain was the Home. She may have given him a few tips in the past on how to make ones home feel like an extension of themselves.

For Naruto home, it was a place that made you feel safe. It perfectly summed the blonde up.

"Would you like the usual?" He asked, standing in the doorway and watching Hestia scanning over the room.

"Yes, please. And why don't we make use of the fireplace as well."

"Coming right up."

Sitting in peace for ten minutes while Naruto whipped something up for them, Hestia took the chance to move herself to the floor in front of the fireplace. Conjuring a blanket, Hestia tucked her legs to the side while her poker appeared in her hand. Gently, she stoked the flames.

It wasn't long before Naruto rejoined her, carrying a small tray in his hands.

"You've made yourself at home." He commented, lowering himself down until he was sitting on his backside with his legs tucked against him. He picked up a teacup and saucer and guided it over to Hestia, who happily took it from him, "Your usual. One Apple and Elderberry Tea with a tiny splash of honey."

"Thank you." Bringing the drink up to her mouth, Hestia sighed in delight at the fruit punch that hit her sense of taste, "Delicious. I see your teamaking skills are still up to par."

"Well, when you live in Japan for as long as I did, making tea becomes a required skill. People think Brits drinks a lot of tea. They've never been to Japan and visited a tea ceremony. " He spent a long time in the East, in particular, Japan. Japanese culture was the one that resembled his old home the most, and being around their towns and cities in the early days helped him to feel like he gained it back in a small way. "Plus, Hinata would never forgive me if I forgot all her lessons in tea making."

"The smores?"

A snort broke from Naruto, before lifting the plate of smores from the tray and handing them over to Hestia. They weren't anything fancy, but they would do. All you needed was graham crackers, marshmallows and some chocolate, and in return, you'd have a very pleased Hearth Goddess. Watching her conjure a small poker like the one she created earlier, she stuck two smores on the end of each and handed one over to the blonde.

"You have a lovely home," Hestia told him, as the pair held their sweet treats over the flames, "I'm sorry I haven't come to visit you sooner. I was planning to see visit during the first months, but things at home got in the way."

"That's okay. I had a feeling you'd come calling at some point, so I kept an eye out for you most days." He let out a low chuckle, "I had a feeling that members of your family would visit the Den at some point since I'm in New York, but I didn't think some of them would become some of my best customers."

Smiling, Hestia replied, "I hear Artemis and Athena have both become regulars, and visit you nearly every week."

"Oh yeah. Athena is easy to cater too. Artemis though," He muttered, before letting out another low chuckle, "That stomach of her doesn't seem to have a bottom. She's like me when it comes to ramen, and I know how challenging I could be with my appetite."

"They always rave about you. It's was surprising to hear my two nieces complimenting a mortal man of all things. Athena is one thing, but Artemis is another." Her mouth formed into a smirk, "I hear you've gained Aphrodite's attention as well."

A groan escaped from his lips, "Don't start with that. That woman!" He muttered, his head drooping, "I've been alive a long time Hestia, and I've never met someone who's so blatant about those kinds of desires. She might as well just hold up a sign that says, Hey! Come over here and do me!"

A finger flicked his ear, causing him to wince, "Don't be so crass." The goddess had never been one for rude language.

The blonde blew a raspberry Hestia's way, "I don't hear you disagreeing."

"Aphrodite has always been a bit of a character, even by Olympian standards. That doesn't maker her any less a friend and a member of my family."

"I still don't hear you saying otherwise."

Hestia huffed, and rotated her smore over the fire, "She can be a handful, and that's all I'm saying."

"A handful? Yeah, I guess that's one way of putting it." He brought up his drink, taking a good long swig of the hot substance before following up with, "Then there's that nephew of yours, and the little show he was putting on in my restrooms." He heard a sigh from the goddess, "Let me guess. Apollo?"

"That boy is as bad as his father. Worse at times. He's Zeus's son alright. Never any doubt about that." Hestia commented. She heard about Apollo's little incident from the Olympian gossip grapevine. Nymphs could be the worst gossips, and when the Goddess of Love was involved, then nothing stayed a secret for long. No matter where in the world an embarrassing event took place, it always ended up coming back to Olympus.

"Hephaestus had even made a side hobby with Olympus TV. His cameras were everywhere, ready and waiting."

Naruto hummed in amusement, "I wonder when he'll be popping in for a visit."

"Oh, I don't think you'll see him any time soon." She admitted, her eyes flickering between brown eyes and flames, "Hephaestus prefers to keep to himself. He's never been a sociable person the same way his brothers are. I think that's why most of the goddesses in my family prefer to be around him than the likes of Apollo, or Ares."

"Everyone except Aphrodite," Naruto commented.

"Everyone except Aphrodite," Hestia confirmed, before giving him a funny look, "Strange, how we looped back around to her."

"Hey, you brought her up." Naruto held up his hands, before letting out a low chuckle. It wasn't long before Hestia was chuckling along with him, "It's good to see you again, Hestia."

"It's good to see you too, my old friend." She replied, looking at Naruto fondly. Their friendship spanned millennia. It could have been the longest-lasting friendship in history for all they knew. For Hestia, Naruto provided her with a reprieve from the family she cherished so much. When she needed time away, she visited him in whatever land he chose to make his temporary home. She would stay for a few weeks, sometimes even months catching up and going off on little adventures of their own. As she quickly came to realise, Naruto had this uncanny ability to draw the most peculiar people towards him, akin to a magnet. Oh, the people they met, and the things they saw would make her siblings green with envy. He was an escape, and one of the few from outside of her family that she cherished dearly.

For Naruto, it was the friend he needed during the most agonizing time in his life. Without Hestia by his side, he wouldn't have been able to escape the hole of loneliness and despair he found himself trapped within.

"You've found yourself in quite the predicament. I'd say I'm surprised, but we both know I'd be lying."

"Yeah, it's been a crazy day," Naruto confirmed, taking his smore out of the fire and gently blowing on it, "I didn't think when I woke up this morning, I'd be housing an abandoned demigod. Said demigod also happens to be your niece and your brother's daughter." A serious look crossed Naruto's face, "Tell it to me straight, Hestia. What options does Thalia have?"

Hestia mimicked his actions with her own smore, gently cooling it down with her breathe, "At this moment in time," She started, taking a small bite from her smore and licking the corners of her lips, "She has three options that I can see."

"Three? Alright, then let's hear them."

"The first option is the least likely to work, so let's get it out of the way. The first choice is to take Thalia back to her mother in California." She watched as Naruto's face morphed into a grimace, "I can see you don't favour that idea."

"Not in the slightest. If Thalia gets sent back to Beryl, it will only spur her to do it again. Next time, she could get left with someone who wants to harm Thalia, rather than help her." It was luck Beryl and Thalia stumbled into the Fox's Den. Any other establishment would have called child protective services, and Thalia would have found herself in the foster system where anyone could get to her. She'd be a target for monsters, inhuman, and human, "I think we'll pass on option one."

"Agreed."

"Option two?"

"Well, it's more favourable, though it still has concerns. I contact Chiron and inform him I'm bringing Thalia to Camp Halfblood. The likelihood of Thalia joining the camp has always been high since her birth, though not until she was older. Kids as young as Thalia don't typically go there unless there's no other choice. Kids who have no homes, and have been abandoned by their parents, much like the situation she's currently in."

Naruto nodded, taking a bite from his smore, "Camp Halfblood."

Of course, he was aware of the existence of the camp. Located on Long Island, Camp Halfblood was one of the few places in the world that acted as a haven for the demigods. Somewhere where they didn't need to look over their shoulders every five minutes, and where they could meet people like themselves and build real relationships. He'd never seen it, but Hestia told him a few stories about some of the people that went there. He met a fair few of them as well, though none were aware of his real identity.

Frederic Bartholdi.

Harriet Tubman.

Amelia Earhart.

William Shakespeare.

Just to name a few.

It was a place where kids like Thalia could learn to control whatever gifts they inherited from their godly parent, and learn how to fight. If he was honest with himself, though Camp Halfblood sounded ideal, he didn't like the idea of children as young as Thalia learning how to wield a sword and fight monsters. The people of today weren't like the people from past cultures. They certainly weren't like the people of his era. The two were like night and day.

Teaching children to fight and kill at such a young age could have harmful consequences on how said children grew up in the world. You only had to look at Kakashi, or Itachi, to see the lasting effect it had on them. There was a reason old man Third Hokage ensured no genin left the Ninja Academy any younger than twelve after the events of the Uchiha Massacre.

Children that young shouldn't have to worry about wielding a sword. They shouldn't have to go to bed feeling pleased that they managed to survive one more day, before turning fearful about what the next day might bring. Camp Halfblood, though it would be a place Thalia would eventually have to visit when she inevitably embraced her heritage, didn't feel like the right fit for someone barely out of diapers.

"It's better than the first option, though she's a bit young to learn how to kill monsters" He mumbled before asking, "What's the third option?"

Finishing another bite from her smore, Hestia fluttered her eyelashes, "Are you sure you want to hear it?" Naruto gave her a look, "Fine, fine. The third option is she stays here with you. You raise her, protect her, and teach her how to defend herself when the time comes."

"Oh? Is that all?" Naruto feigned surprise, "You don't ask for much, do you?"

"It's not like you haven't done it before."

"That was a long time ago." He replied, looking away. A pretty little blonde girl with big blue eyes flashed across his mind. She was a cute little thing, though she didn't stay that way. She grew up and became a formidable warrior in her own right. She was more likely to run a spear through you if you earned her ire, "Five hundred years ago. Not to mention, she wasn't even a demigod from the Greek Pantheon. She was from the Norse. I know you guys don't like to mingle." He waved his hands in the air.

"A demigod's a demigod, no matter where they're from. Just like monsters are still monsters, no matter what form they take," Hestia reminded him, "What was her name again?"

Naruto turned his head her way, "Gunilla."

"Ahh, yes," Hestia nodded, "I remember. She was a cute one if I remember right, and a daughter of Thunder, much like Thalia is."

"Thor was never more annoying then he was while Gunilla was under my care. He used visiting her as an excuse to pick a fight." Naruto sighed and fell backwards until he was looking up a the ceiling. Could he look after another demigod again? "I don't know Hestia."

Hestia giggled, and soon found herself staring up at the ceiling with her blonde best friend, "Would it be that bad?"

"I don't know. Maybe?" His thoughts turned to all the time's his customers would visit the Fox's Den with their kids. They gravitated to him, and vice versa. He would pull silly faces at them, and make them food that wasn't even on the menu if it's what they wanted. It never bothered the parents, simply cause it was keeping the kids happy.

He liked to think it all stemmed back to him being a father. He loved being a father when Boruto and Himawari were born, despite how terrifying it was. When he took Gunilla in, it was because he saw a little girl who needed love and attention. He treated her like she was his own. It helped that he got on with her godly father, despite his unnatural love for fighting and causing a mess. However, another reason was that he didn't want children growing up the same way he did. Alone and without a family by your side, "I made it a point not to reveal myself to the world unless necessary. I keep myself to myself because it's easier that way. Meeting you had been a happy accident, one that I'll never regret. Meeting Norse Gods were the same, despite some of them trying to poke me full of holes."

He sighed and rested the back of his head on the carpet.

"I'm tired, Hestia. I miss home. I miss my family. I shouldn't be here." His words came out as a whisper, but Hestia had heard him. Reaching over with a free hand, she woved her fingers through his and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "She pops up every now again, you know. More so recently, since I moved to New York. She has this habit of appearing in my mind whenever things seem to be going well."

"Do you think she's waking up?" A lace of fear etched into Hestia's voice. To her relief, Naruto shook his head.

He shook his head, "She stirs from time to time to time, but not since the 1940s have I felt it. I'd know if she's awake." He put down the rod holding the half-eaten smore and patted his chest, "I'd feel it if I did. That woman and I have linked thanks to the curse she put on me."

"Many would see immortality as a gift."

"She didn't intend it to be a gift. She never did." His gaze hardened up at the ceiling, "I wouldn't give her what she wanted, so she took everything from me." He turned and looked at Hestia, his eyes shifting from anger into sadness, "Taking Gunilla into my care was one thing. When she died, Odin turned her into a Valkyrie. When Thalia dies, she goes to the Underworld, and I never see her again. I'm inviting more pain into my life, and there's enough in there as it is."

Hestia rolled onto her side, "True, but would you turn away a child in need of help? That's not the Naruto I know." Despite his words, Hestia knew her friend too well. He wore his heart on his sleeve. He couldn't help himself when it came to helping people. It was like he was hardwired that way. Something inside him wouldn't allow him to walk away from a situation where he could make a difference.

Somewhere he could turn a negative into a positive.

"I think that's what people used to call my Hero complex. I can't help but meddle, even when everyone else avoids it." He shook his head and laughed to himself.

"A good quality to have. Shame more people don't have it."

"I guess." He let out another sigh, before pushing himself back into a sitting position. Hestia quickly joined him, watching as the cogs in his mind started turning. She could tell he was always pondering over the idea. Letting it sink in, picturing the potential outcomes of letting a demigod of Thalia's calibre remain with him.

"I'd have to come public to your family if I do this." He said, "To your brother at the very least. He should know where she is, even if he doesn't pay her the attention he should." He didn't need another Thunder God trying to pick a fight with him. One was enough.

"Zeus shouldn't be an issue. Despite his reputation when it comes to his daughters, he does develop soft spots for them," Hestia revealed, thinking on all the times Zeus coddled and spoiled Artemis and Athena when they were young goddesses, "Luckily, next month is June. Zeus will be celebrating his anniversary to Hera, which will put him in a positive mood."

"How positive?"

"So positive that it's the only time in the year that the gods can request practically anything from him within reason, and he'll say yes." It was hilarious to watch, and Hestia found herself in a fit of giggles whenever she saw the queue of immortals lining up outside of Zeus's temple. Taking the virginity of his beautiful and faithful wife every year thanks to Hera's sacred bath within her temple always put a spring in his step. Once she saw him dancing along the streets of Olympus because he was in such a good mood, "There's no better time. I'll bring him to the Fox's Den in June. I'll let you know the date beforehand."

He ran a hand over his face, and pinched the bridge of his nose, "One little detail I think you're missing."

"Oh?"

"Your sister." A knowing look ran over his face as he stared at Hestia, "Could she become a problem in the future?" The stories around Hera and the demigod children of her husband were infamous. Any child born from the union between the King of the Gods and a mortal woman would find themselves at the mercy of the enraged Queen, and their lives rarely ended on a positive note.

"My sister is aware of Thalia's existence. So far she's left her alone. Whether that's because Zeus threatened action if Hera tried anything, or she's playing the long game, I can't say." Hestia explained, "In the past, her decisions towards Zeus's demigod children have been the result of spontaneous decision making. Hera's dream is to have the perfect family, and children of Zeus that don't come from her ruin that image. It took her a long time to accept Zeus's Olympian children since they weren't going anywhere. Since demigods have mortal lifespans, actions against them only have temporary consequences."

She never agreed with her sister's actions in the past. Though she could understand Hera felt betrayed, and it was never easy to watch your sister's heartbreak over and over again by constant infidelity, her actions towards demigods couldn't be justified in her eyes. Zeus was the one at fault, not the child. If Hera wanted to take her anger out on someone, then it should have been her husband.

However, as would always happen, Hera would kick him out of their marriage bed for a while, but Zeus would sweet-talk his way back into Hera's good graces. It was a cycle that continued for millennia and knowing them as she did, it wasn't going to stop any time soon. It was the definition of a dysfunctional marriage. It was no wonder the aspect of it became riddled with divorce. How could the domain thrive when the goddess who watched over it was in a one-sided marriage of their own.

Naruto let out a low hum and sensed the aura of the little girl sleeping upstairs. So innocent and small.

"What are you thinking?" Hestia asked, recognising the look on his face. He was in deep thought, his fingers tapping against his knee. It was a little sign she picked up over the years when he was thinking about something. His fingers couldn't keep still.

"I understand why you're sister acts out," he replied, garnering Hestia's attention, "I think we all would be if we married to him. She's angry and frustrated. She's at the end of her rope as it were. I remember you saying a long time ago that she wanted nothing more than the picture-perfect family. No offence to your sister, but she's not going to have that with Zeus."

"Many of us have told her, but she chooses to ignore our advice." Hera was incredibly stubborn, and her temper could go unmatched when pushed the wrong way. Even Zeus was hesitant to deal with his wife when she was angry beyond words, "Since marriage is her domain, she doesn't take advice well on the subject."

The blonde nodded "I sympathise with her, but that's no excuse to take that frustration out on children, even if they're her unfaithful husband's children." Adults harming children didn't sit well with him. Gods and Goddesses who thought they could mess with children, they would have a rude awakening with him around, "I'll make this blunt Hestia," He confident look appeared on his face, "Whether it's your sister, or someone else. I pity any God from any pantheon that comes to MY doorstep looking to pick a fight. Whether it's with me, or it's with Thalia. They'll be on a one way trip to whatever version of Hell you gods have."

"So, does that mean the girl can stay?" Hestia asked, sounding hopeful.

With a tired nod, Naruto agreed, "Yeah, I guess she can stay. As you said, it's her best option."

Hestia clapped her hands together, "Wonderful news. I think this is the best alternative." She didn't need to wonder if Thalia was going to be happy here. She knew in her heart that Naruto would provide a warm and loving home for her little niece. He might be rusty when it comes to raising a child as young as Thalia, but if anyone could manage, it was him. Children of Zeus could be notoriously hard to raise, and often inherited some of her brothers less than desirable traits. However, those children didn't have a knucklehead like Naruto raising them. She was sure as Thalia grew up, she'd realise there was little she could get away with.

"Don't think you're getting out this scott free," Naruto replied, replied and watched Hestia freeze mid-clap, "If you think I'm doing this alone, then you've got another thing coming."

She wasn't sure she was going to like this, "What do you mean?"

"I'll look after Thalia on one condition." He held up a finger.

"What's the condition?" She asked, looking at him suspiciously. He leaned in, a tired grin forming on his face.

"You have to help me raise her. I think it's time Thalia got to know her wonderful Auntie Hestia."

"What!" Hestia gasped, looking like someone who Stuck their finger in a plug socket, "What do you mean? I can't do that!"

"Sure, you can. It's easy. I mean, you've seen your sisters raise their kids, so you know what not to do." He shrugged and stood up, "You can't tell me you've never wondered what it would be like to raise a child of your own."

"You know I haven't." Hestia stood up and scowled at him. She would have appeared threatening if her cheeks didn't puff up when she got mad. She looked like an angry chipmunk who had her nuts stolen from her, "I swore I would never have children of my own. I'm not maternal. I don't have that...that...vibe!"

"That vibe?" Naruto snorted.

"You know what I mean!"

"Technically, you're not having kids in the traditional sense. You're merely helping me raise Thalia." He said again, "I'm not asking you to do the whole Mom act. I'm saying be her Auntie Hestia, and build a relationship with her." Thalia should have a female presence in her life, and who better than Miss Goody Two Shoes, Hestia.

"We're not supposed to be present in the lives of Demigod children."

He shrugged, "Your brother wasn't supposed to have any more demigods. Look how well that turned out. Besides, when was the last time you bent the rules a little."

"I don't bend any rules!"

He snorted.

"What was that for?"

A hand came up to his mouth, and he coughed out, "1969."

Hestia's eyes went wide, and pointed the finger at him again, "You promised we would not talk about that!"

"I recall we were at Woodstock?"

"I'm warning you!"

"I still remember the smile on your face as you crowd surfed from one corner to the other. The Who were performing," He grinned, before feeling a weight jump on his back and a small fist begin bopping him on the head, "Ow! You crazy goddess! Get off!"

"You sad you would never mention that day again!"

"My fingers were crossed!"

"Gah!"

His yelps soon turned into chuckles. Eventually, he was able to slide the annoyed goddess off his back and placed her back on her two feet. She looked less than happy, but he knew she wouldn't do anything to hurt him. It wasn't Hestia's nature to hurt. It was her nature to soothe.

"Come on, Hestia." His voice turned low, "I'm not asking you to make this girl your daughter, or anything like that. All I'm asking is for you to be a positive female presence in her life. I dread to think about what kind of presence Beryl had in her young life." His hand came up and rested on her shoulder. If it was anyone else, Hestia's might have scolded their palm, "Just be the cool aunt I know you can be. A good influence," His eyes softened, "For me?"

Now it was Hestia's turn to soften. It took a few moments, but when her shoulders dropped, he knew he had her. It wasn't like Hestia to turn away from someone who needed help. They were much the same in that regard. Naruto rarely asked for favours, and Hades knew, the blonde had helped her out a time or two. It wasn't like she was going to be solely responsible for the girl. She would be helping out and being the cool aunt, as the blonde stated.

She sighed.

"Fine."

"Really!?"

"Yes, yes. For you, Naruto. Only for you."

In typical Naruto fashion, Hestia found herself swept up in a tight hug, breaking her annoyed visage and turned her expression back into a smile, "Have I ever told you you're amazing, Hestia?"

"Oh, once or twice, though it never hurts to hear it." She patted him on the back, "Come on we don't want our drinks getting cold. I still have room left for another smore, or two."

"Of course. You can have all the smores you like."

Hestia giggled, "I'll hold you to that."

* * *

**Sorry for how late this chapter was, but it was a struggle trying to write this. I've been feeling quite unmotivated recently, due to work commitments and personal stuff going on. I wanted to get this chapter out before August came to an end. **

**As you can see this chapter was solely based on the relationship between Naruto and Hestia. I know people have been asking for a pairing between Naruto and Hestia, but in this story, they're strictly close friends. Also, if you're wondering what happened with Melinoe in the Underworld, it will be addressed soon. **

**Thanks for reading and please review.**


	12. Part Xll

**Thanks as always for the support everyone. I had some trouble with Grammarly while writing this chapter, so I'm sorry if it's not the best-written chapter of the bunch. Grammarly doesn't want to agree with me at the moment. Taking a little break after this chapter, but don't worry. I've already got ideas for the next couple of chapters. **

**Hope you all enjoy Part XII. **

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity**

**Part XII **

**Underworld**

"Come on. We need to head back before your father begins to notice our absence," Hecate replied, halting, and turning around to look at Melinoe. The Goddess of Ghosts was stood in the middle of the path, watching as the gates that housed the old ones came to close, "Melinoe. Are you listening?"

"I know." Her reply came out as little more than a whisper, "I'm just wrapping my head around everything that happened today. It's a lot to take in."

The amount of information she received about the mysterious blonde was overwhelming. On the one hand, she was grateful she was able to speak to the people that knew him best. His wife. His children. His parents. Everyone who could tell him about the different aspects of his life. The ups and the down. His childhood, which led into his teenage years, and then into adulthood. She felt she might know the man better than himself. His parents couldn't help much given they died young and on the day he was born, but his wife, Hinata, had been a treasure trove of knowledge. They were understandably suspicious at first, but steadily opened up when they realized she meant no ill will to them or Naruto.

Jiraiya, despite his initial friendliness, and the woman with the giant melons hadn't spoken much. Most of the time they watched and listened, their gaze locked on the pair of goddesses like a homing beacon. Tsunade had pitched in when needed, and Melinoe couldn't help but feel the maternal worry that came off the blonde woman. Given Kushina had died the day Naruto was born, Melinoe would hazard a guess that Tsunade had taken it upon herself to play the maternal role in his life. She mentioned how she once had to tie him to a chair and ordered a woman named Shizune to force-feed steamed vegetables into his mouth. When she punched her fist into her other hand, both goddesses had the feeling Tsunade was the kind of a person who enjoyed tough love.

"What will you do now?"

Melinoe sighed and scratched the back of her head. What should she do now? There was an immortal from the Golden Generation waking amongst modern society, and the Gods had no idea he existed. For something to go amiss from her extended family on Olympus, and remain out of the sight from the gaze of Zeus was laughable. Her father's brother was suspicious of anything that didn't belong, especially when they had power.

Whether he had power along with his immortality was a question mark. This power called chakra that the old souls could wield sounded like something out of a storybook, and yet the way they described it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Mortals who could use that type of power felt wrong. Like the everyday person wouldn't be able to handle having that kind of power at their disposal. It was no wonder the Old Souls lived in a time of constant bloodshed and espionage, where nations and people were overflowing with hubris and greed. If people of today could use chakra, then she could picture the wrathful Earth Mother awaking from her slumber to punish humanity once again.

"I don't know," Melinoe muttered. She turned around and caught up with Hecate. Instead of waking along the olden path again, the bodies of the two goddesses began to light up. In the blink of an eye, the pair disappeared from the gates and reappeared within the palace of Hades. They stood in Melinoe's quarters, with Hecate watching as Melinoe sundered over to the foot of her bed and promptly dropped herself on top of it with all the grace of a newborn duckling, "I should tell my father."

That wasn't surprising. Given all but one of the Old Souls were within his Realm, the God of the Underworld would want to know how one of the Old Ones wasn't claimed by his domain.

"And what do you think Hades will do?" Hecate asked.

"It's hard to say. There's still a couple of months until Mother comes home, so his mood will be gloomy at best." The Queen of the Underworld was one of the few people who could bring Hades out his shell, and bring down the iron walls Hades put around himself. She always had the most success, followed closely by the Mother of the Elder Gods, "I'd tell her first before I'd tell Father. She's always been good at cooling down his temper."

Hecate hummed, and crossed her arms, "Hades has never been the type to act first, and ask questions later. That's always been Zeus, and occasionally, Poseidon. Your father is far more patient than either of them. He waits and watches before deciding if he needs to act."

"I think you give him far too much credit."

"I think you don't give him enough."

Melinoe rose an eyebrow, "Well then, what do you think I should do with this information?" She asked. Despite being the daughter of the God of the Underworld, Hecate had known him much longer. She was a good judge of character. It was why she spent so much time in the Underworld.

"I think you should go to Hades, and fill him in on what's happened today. He won't like getting left out of the loop," Hecate replied, pulling a face and tapping her chin, "I can't help but wonder what he would do."

The Goddess of Ghosts scoffed and gave a look of disbelief to the older immortal, "Seriously?"

To her surprise, the Goddess of Magic shrugged, "Honestly, it's up to you what you want to do with the information you acquired today. I was along for the ride, and you didn't disappoint. However, I think this is where I'm going to jump off from the train." A sly smirk graced the face of the most mysterious goddess of the Greek Pantheon. Melinoe could scarcely believe what she was hearing. Was she bailing? After making such a fuss earlier in the day.

"You can't be serious." Hecate had appeared so interested and curious about finding out the secrets of the mysterious blonde, despite having never met him. She could be so flighty at the most unhelpful times. "You're leaving? After everything we've heard today."

"I'm deadly serious. Today was a nice change of pace, but I think I'm ready to go back to my daily routine. You know, being all mysterious and aloof. I have a reputation to uphold after all," Hecate spun around, and Melinoe could sense the energy building up inside of her. She was about to teleport again but gave Meinoe one final piece of advice, "Don't be a pansy, Melinoe. Go to your Father, and see what happens. Maybe he'll surprise you."

Like the mist she controlled, she vanished, leaving Melinoe alone with her thoughts.

"I will never understand that woman." She muttered to herself, staring at the spot where Hecate previously stood, before falling back onto the bed. She now had a decision to make. Did she tell her father, or does she continue down the road alone? The Goddess of Magic wasn't as keen as she began to hope, leaving her wondering if she should have left the mystery of Naruto Uzumaki alone. Was she too far down the rabbit hole? Or was there time to dig her way out?

She had a lot of thinking to do.

* * *

** Days Later- The Fox's Den**

Telling a little girl that her mother had abandoned her on the doorstep of a stranger was not an experience Naruto looked forward too. He expected plenty of tears and wailing. Maybe some small objects getting thrown his way. There wasn't much a four-year-old could do to hurt him, except for breaking his tender heart with cuteness. Despite that, in terms of breaking the news to the little girl, he thought the ordeal went rather well all considering. At least, he thought so.

It was a boon that Hestia remained with him all through the night, going back and forth on the goings-on in their lives since they last met with one another. Goddesses like Hestia didn't need much sleep compared to mortals and being a ninja forced himself to adjust to remaining awake during sensitive and urgent missions. You could ill afford to get caught by a rogue ninja whilst asleep. When the clock struck at nine o'clock in the morning, he chose to coax his new ward out of her bed with the delightful smell of bacon. The greasy food had the desired effect, and not five minutes later, a tired and half asleep Thalia Grace tiptoed into the kitchen. A pillow was still resting in her arms, with half her face obscured as she refused to leave all of the divine warmth of her bed. Both Naruto and Hestia found themselves cooing at the sleepy state o the demigod. How could anyone not at some an image?

Good mornings were sent her way, and Naruto soon found himself sat beside little Thalia, with Hestia taking up the other side. Together, they had come up with a story for a Thalia hear. One that would ease Thalia into the new life she was about to enter. He told her Beryl had woken up late last night when she was still asleep and asked Naruto to look after Thalia for her before slipping away. That she was unable to look after Thalia anymore and would have to leave her in Naruto's capable hands. There were some half-truths to the story, and he didn't feel it was right to tell her that her mother hated the fact that she was born. That was too cruel to place on someone so young.

Some sniffles began to break out as expected, with Naruto placing a comforting hand on the little girl as the information tried to sink in. It was a wonder how much Thalia understood at such a young age. He got down on one knee, and gently wiped her eyes as the skin beneath the eyes turned a blotchy red. Gentle shushing her, and to his mild surprise, he found the little girl shuffling out of her chair and came to rest on his knee, burying her face into his shirt. The looks Hestia gave him was one of amusement at his surprised face before steadily wrapping Thalia up in a comforting hug.

He couldn't deny, for a moment, he imagined it was Himawari sitting in his arms, her dark hair tickling the skin beneath his chin. He took a few deep breaths, before gently tilting her head to face his, and gave her the warmest smile he could muster. It had the desired effect, as the little girl gained a twinkle in her eye and the tiniest smile as her new carer shrouded her in love and warmth.

Then he introduced her to Hestia. It was safe to say the second they were met, Hestia became Thalia's favourite person in the world.

"How's that!?"

"That's very good, though you've still gone out of the lines a little. One here," Hestia said, looking over the page in the colouring book she and Thalia were working on together, "And two more down here." She pointed at the bottom of the page, where the bright green and yellow elephant they spent the last fifteen minutes colouring in, showing some of the colours going over the black lines.

"Aww!" Thalia pouted, her face scrunching up and giving her best attempt at a glare towards the green and yellow elephant.

The reaction made Hestia giggled, before placing a comforting hand on the top of her dark hair, "Don't fret, honey. The elephant still looks wonderful. You can't even tell. You have to lean in very close to see it. See!" Proving her point, Hestia leaned into the point where her nose was touching the surface of the paper.

"I guess." The four-year-old still didn't sound convinced, "Can we try another picture? And I'll get it right this time!"

The Goddess of the Hearth nodded, "Sure, honey. Which one would you like to try?" She turned the pages of the book, flicking through as she searched for an animal they hadn't coloured in yet, "Shall we try and colour the lion? Or maybe we could colour the Alligator?"

The little girl shook her head, "Nah!" The sound came out like a sheep bleating, forcing Hestia to bite her lip from busting out a loud laugh. Thalia's blue eyes looked through each page for a couple of moments at a time before finally finding one that caught her attention, "This one!"

Hestia looked down at the page and smiled, "A fox?"

"Yeah! It looks like Mr Naruto!"

The Goddess giggled again. Leave it to a child to point out something so funny, and ironic.

"I guess your right. I think it's the whiskers." She whispered, tapping the page with her finger.

"Yeah!" Thalia whispered back, nodding enthusiastically. She fell into a fit of giggles, joining her Aunt and laughing together.

"What are you two giggling about?" They heard, looking up from the table to find Naruto standing next to their table. Their table sat in the corner of the room, closest to the counter at the front of the house. The Fox's Den was half-filled on a Saturday, though the blonde found himself busy beyond words earlier in the day. It was only in the last hour where things started to calm down. Thalia and Hestia arrived 30 minutes ago, bringing with them a colouring book and a pack of crayons Hestia had bought for her niece a few days ago. By the look on the little girl's face, she was eager to make a start on her new book, though she made sure to give Naruto a big hug when they walked in and cheerily greeted him. The action warmed his heart and made his smile widen before escorting them to a free table.

She was settling in nicely.

"Nothing. Just girl stuff," Hestia replied and was quickly mimicked by her niece.

"Yeah, girl stuff! Mr Naruto being nosy!"

"He is, isn't he, Thalia?" Hestia replied, giggling at Thalia's words. Naruto was right about her niece. She was very cheeky but in an endearing way.

"Uhuh!"

Chuckling, Naruto didn't press. Instead, he lowered the tray and rested it on the table, "Alright, be that way. I've got your lunch for you, so pack your crayons away. You can draw some more after you've finished."

It surprised him how quickly he fell back into parent mode. Sure, there was some rust. It was more than five centuries since he last cared for a little one. With Gunilla, the little girl tested him for the first couple of weeks. It was the child's way of seeing if this new adult in their life was going to stick around, or if they were going to turn tail and run away. It was the same process when a divorced, or widowed parent brought home their new significant other. Oh, the daughter of Thor has tested him. His patience. His limits. His sanity. After weeks of acting like a tiny tyrant, something finally clicked in their relationship. When she realised he wasn't going anywhere and he was there to stay, the walls disappeared, and a very different little girl was left standing before him.

Thalia didn't need to be told twice. She packed her crayons into a neat pile and closed her colouring book. Settling her plate in front of her, Thalia licked her lips. "Yummy!"

"Well, I hope so. One plate of french toast with strawberries and syrup." Next, he placed a small cup of darkish yellow liquid to the side, "And one freshly squeezed glass of apple juice. Enjoy Thalia."

The little girl's eyes lit up. She picked up her cutlery but stopped when Hestia gently tapped her hand.

"What do you say?"

A big smile lit up Thalia's face, "Thank you, Mr Naruto!"

"You're very welcome, Thalia." He ruffled the top of her head and felt her lean into his touch, "You know, you don't always have to call me Mr Naruto. Just Naruto will be fine."

"Okay, Mr Naruto!"

The blonde chuckled again and left the little girl to eat her lunch. It was a title he was probably going to be stuck with for a while, though he didn't mind. Grabbing the other plate, he settled it down in front of Hestia, who was having French toast and strawberries as well, with the addition of dices of banana. The portion on the plate was larger then Thalia's, and cut to perfection, "Here's your lunch, and here's your drink." A mug of freshly brewed tea took up the spot next to her plate. The distinct scent of strawberry and vanilla wafted through the air, making Hestia hum in delight.

"Smells delicious. British origin?"

"Japanese. No one makes tea like the East." Naruto replied, "How's your morning been?"

"It was good, thank you. We went to the mall, and I'm pleased to say Thalia's wardrobe is now full. You won't have to worry about clothes or shoes for a while." Hestia replied, "You owe me one."

"I know, I know. I won't forget." Naruto said back. He'd asked Hestia to help with the wardrobe situation since he was none the wiser on what would be best to get someone like Thalia in modern society. He hadn't shopped for clothing for a little girl since Himawari was a little girl, and even then, Hinata had been the one with the eye for such things. Buying clothes for boys was one thing, but buying for a girl wasn't an entirely different matter. Not wanting to get the wardrobe situation wrong, he left it in Hestia's capable hands, "This going to be an adjustment that's for sure."

Hestia smiled, taking a bite of her lunch, "I wouldn't worry. As you said, you're rusty, but that rust will wear off eventually. Next time, you can come with us, and I'll show you some pointers."

"Thanks. I'll be taking you up on that."

"And when does her new wardrobe arrive?"

"Tomorrow. The guy at the store said it'll take arrive in three days, and that was two days ago. He didn't give me a specific time except that it will be in the morning. Just means I'll have to leave," He leaned in so Thalia didn't hear him, "A clone to sign the paperwork and help get it up the stairs."

Since Thalia was now living with Naruto permanently, the blonde decided to turn the guest room she'd been staying into hers. The little girl had been excited at the prospect of having such a large room. It was twice as big as her previous one, and the bed was much bigger than her old one. Watching the way she would wriggle around in her sleep, her new bed could easily accommodate. They bought new covers and sheets for her, ones that were dark blue and white and comfortable to the point Thalia would fall asleep the moment her head touch the fabric. He quickly realised Thalia was the type of person who enjoyed having lots of pillows and added a few more for her to enjoy. While they were out, he left some clones behind to give the walls a new lick of paint. All four walls were painted light blue, similar to the sky on a sunny day. The carpet was the only part that remained the same. A toy chest had been added, with a few welcoming gifts from himself and Hestia, while a row of stuff animals of different varieties adorned the top of the chest.

Thus far, Thalia was in love with her new room. His reward had been the biggest hug the little girl could muster and continued to give him when she saw an opportunity. The last piece he added, was a nightlight that shone star shapes on the walls. Last night, when he stopped by her room to check on her, he found her with her limbs spread out like an eagle, a goofy smile on her face as she sept the night away.

"I think you've got a customer trying to wave you over," Hestia told him, nodding over to a woman trying to get his attention from across the room.

"So I do," He replied, "Duty calls. Let me know if there's anything else you want for lunch you two. I'll be back shortly." With that, he continued his day, leaving the Aunt and niece duo to their lunch.

"Okay!" The reply from Thalia came out muffled, her mouth full of french toast. A slight look of admonishment came off the Goddess of the Hearth, who flicked her nieces ear. She was always a stickler for manners. She would do the same for her godly nephews and nieces whenever she caught them. Everyone knew to be on their best behaviour when in the presence of the Goddess of the Hearth.

"Don't speak when your mouth is full, Thalia. It's bad manners."

"O-" Thalia started to say, before getting cut off by the look on her aunts face. The four-year-old had enough sense to swallow her food first, before replying, "Okay, Auntie Hestia."

"Good girl."

"What are we doing later, Auntie?"

"I'm not sure. I don't have to go home until this evening, so we've got all afternoon." Hestia threw some ideas around, hoping it tickled the fancy of her niece, "We could go for a walk in Central Park? There's this lovely Ice Cream stand we could try if you're good. The weather is very nice today." Apollo must have been in a good mood, and the Goddess could only imagine what had put him in one. Or better yet, who.

"Can I have chocolate ice cream?"

"Of course. I bet chocolate is your favourite, right?"

"Uhuh! It's the best!" Thalia said back, a moment away from taking another big bite of her french toast, "What's your favourite, Auntie Hestia!?"

"My favourite? Oh, well, I love Vanilla." Her answer didn't sit well with Thalia, who made a face, "What's that face for, huh? What's wrong with Vanilla?"

"Vanilla's boring."

"Boring?" She questioned, a smile tugging at her lips again.

"Yup. It's the most boring ice cream in the whole world! Old people like vanilla!"

Hestia tried to contain her laughter, but couldn't hold it with her best efforts. Her niece said the funniest things, and she didn't even know it. Technically, she was older than all the mortals currently sat in the Fox's Den, along with the rest of the block. The only person older was Naruto, who was none the wiser to Thalia's little comment as he carried two plates of red velvet cake to an older gentleman and his wife.

"Then what do you think I should get?" She asked, as her niece was the apparent expert in all things ice cream related.

"Chocolate!"

"And what if I don't want chocolate?"

Thalia pouted, her lips puckered as a thoughtful expression wove onto her face. She got cuter and cuter by the second! Gods, she was beginning to think like Aphrodite. Thalia would find herself wrapped up in the Goddess of Love's arms, being gushed over and spoiled with no end in sight. That wasn't to say Hestia hadn't spent the last few days doing just that on Thalia since her arrival into Naruto's life, but the most sensual immortal on Olympus had a habit for taking it to far. Thalia's bedroom would be overflowing with stuffed animals and all things cute and fluffy. The little girl would be decked out in nothing but pink dresses whether she liked them or not.

"Strawberry!"

"Strawberry?" Hestia repeated, thinking over the choice, "Well, I do like strawberry. That's my second favourite."

"Mine too!"

"Are you sure I can't have vanilla?"

"Nope!"

"Even if I say please?" Thalia shook her head, forcing Hestia to let out an exaggerated sigh, "Oh, alright then. Have it your way."

Thalia giggled, and Hestia soon found Thalia's arm wrapped around her waist. A pair of bright blue eyes stared up at her with a look of wonder. The hug was a surprise, but not unwelcome, and Hestia soon found herself reciprocating. Wrapping one arm around Thalia's shoulder, her hand came up and delicately wove her fingers through her dark locks.

"This is nice," She heard Thalia whisper, "I like your hugs, Auntie Hestia."

"Well, thank you, sweetie. I like your hugs too. Goodness, I've been getting so many hugs over the last couple of days. I feel spoiled." Hestia smiled and watched as Thalia's smile widened. Her niece was such a happy child. A demigod that was happy was a rare thing to see, even when they were this young.

"I love you, Auntie Hestia!"

The words flowed out of Thalia's mouth easily and would have caught her off guard if she hadn't heard it a few times today already.

For Hestia, the last few days with her niece had felt most peculiar. Unlike Hera, Demeter, Poseidon and Hades, Hestia's had perfect recollection of the moment Kronos swallowed her whole, forcing her to grow up deep within his stomach. To this day, she could still remember the abyss that was her father's throat, like a pit of despair and cruelty with no end. The screams of her mother when she realised what Kronos was doing haunted her to this day, sending chills across her body. The agony in Rhea's voice had been unbearable. Like something out of a nightmare come to life. She could only imagine what her mother had felt at that moment. To this day, Rhea wouldn't talk about it. The pain was always there. Her husbands greatest betrayals. The moment the man she chose to commit herself with showed his true colours.

She had a lot of time to think about the life she wanted to have if she ever escaped her father's stomach. She didn't want to experience the same agony her mother felt. She didn't want to feel the loss of a child and watch as they were ripped away by someone who was supposed to love them. If Hera and Demeter wanted to create life from their bodies, then she would help them through it as an older sister should. However, that choice was not one she wanted for herself. She didn't have the maternal element inside her as they did, and that grew as centuries went by.

She didn't want children.

She didn't want a husband.

She didn't want any of it.

She chose to remain an eternal virgin because she saw no value in having those elements in her life. She didn't view herself as maternal, nor did she want a husband to commit herself too. She was happy to be nothing more than a daughter. A sister. An auntie. A friend. She was content with the life she created for herself. She saw no need to add anything new to her life.

And then Naruto stepped back into her life, bringing with her this little ball of energy that captured her heart near instantaneously. Thalia was like a breath of fresh air. For someone immortal, the days, months, and years started to feel the same. It became repetitive. Even Hestia found herself growing bored in recent years. Naruto was her saving grace during her many visits and never failed to liven everything around him. Thalia, she felt, was the same way. They were like two peas in a pod meant to find one another.

"Love you too, sweetie!"

* * *

**Later that Evening**

"Okay, let me see those teeth," Naruto asked, standing in the bathroom opposite Thalia's room. Said little girl was standing on a small red pedestal so she could reach the mirror and watch as she brushed her teeth. No child, no matter what age they were, enjoyed brushing their teeth. It seemed to be universal, no matter what era. Kids just found it to be the biggest chore, second only to tidying their room. Good dental hygiene was key, and no one liked the result of not taking care of your teeth. He would rather be used as a training dummy for students at the Ninja Academy then go to the dentist. Tooth pain was one of the worst sensations imaginable, and if there was one thing he was going to teach Thalia while she was under his roof, it was too take good care of her pearly whites.

Thalia opened her mouth wide in an exaggerated manner. The daughter of Zeus was dressed ready for bed, wearing a set of grey pyjamas with a happy-looking cloud on the front, courtesy of Hestia. She scrunched her face at the idea of anything pink. Any piece of clothing Hestia picked out that had a shred of pink on them, Thalia immediately shook her head. The four-year-old didn't like the colour one bit.

It was a good thing she wasn't a daughter of the Goddess of Love. Such a mindset on the colour pink was almost illegal for a child of the Goddess of Love.

Naruto took a brief look, wearing an exaggerated expression before nodding happily. He was about to ruffle her hair but stopped himself. He finished combing her hair minutes earlier after drying her off from her bath, "Alright, lets head to bed." Nodding, the little girl jumped off the stool and bolted for her bed. The bed was massive and far bigger then anything a girl her age would be sleeping in. Thalia thought it was the comfiest bed in the world.

Following after her, he arrived in her room as Thalia was jumping under the covers, watching as she wormed up the bed. Her face popped up from the top of the duvet and promptly began cocooning herself within the soft sheets. The blonde shook his head and came to sit down on the edge of the bed. A side lamp sat on a small table to the left of the bed, bathing a healthy glow across the room.

"So," Naruto asked, looking down at Thalia with a fond gaze, "Which companion will be sleeping with you tonight?" Across the room sitting opposite the bed was a line of stuffed animals facing the bed, varying in sizes on top of a toy box. Though Hestia had shopped for clothes, Naruto had taken a brief break from running the Fox's Den, leaving it in the capable hands of his clones, to get a couple of stuffed toys for Thalia.

By a couple, he meant a dozen. He may have gone a little overboard.

Thalia put her hands up in the air, "Henry! I want henry!"

"What the magic word?" He gave her a knowing look that Thalia was quickly beginning to recognise after a couple of days.

"Pleaseeeeee!"

Smiling, he crossed the room and picked up Henry, a purple elephant that sat in the middle of the toy box. Why Thalia dubbed the elephant, Henry, was anyone's guess. However, the daughter of Zeus had fallen in love with the stuffed toy the moment her eyes met his sewn-buttoned ones. She always took his to bed with her and was seldom without him when they were at home. The only rule was that Henry had to remain at home. He didn't want the stuffed toy to end up lost like so many other stuffed animals.

"You know, your other stuffed animals are going to get jealous if you keep picking Henry. What about Seymour?" Seymour was a green eagle, placed at the end of the row. Where Thalia came up with these names? They wished they knew. Hestia had been there for that one and was forced to hide her face in her hands from how hard she was cracking up. Of all the names Thalia could have picked for her father's sacred animal.

Thalia shook her tired head, "He's the lookout."

"The lookout?"

"Yeah, he keeps everyone safe."

Naruto raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"Mr Naruto?" Thalia said, with Henry comfortably sat in her arms, "When's Auntie Hestia coming back?" A yawn broke out from the little girl, and he watched her eyes already beginning to fall heavy with sleep.

"Not for a couple of days. Auntie Hestia has some odd jobs she needs to get out of the way back home."

"Oh," Thalia replied, leaning on her side with her chin resting on Henry's head, "What kinda jobs? Can I help?"

A hand reached out and gently patted her shoulder, "Just grown-up jobs. You know, like I do at the cafe. Your Auntie Hestia is a chef just like I am, and there are lots of people that love her cooking. They love it so much they line up in the streets just to get a bite."

"Really?" She asked, half in wonder and a half in exhaustion.

"Uhuh."

"Does she make yummier snacks then you do?"

The blonde released a low chuckle, "She likes to think she does." Was all he said with a wink.

Whether his words reached Thalia, he didn't know. The daughter of Zeus was asleep in seconds, her body steadily rsing and falling with the bed covers. Chuckling, he quietly stood up and tiptoed out of the room, flicking on the nightlight as he left. Making his way into his bedroom down the hall, he closed his door with a delicate thud. Taking a deep breath, his soft blue eyes grew serious.

Stopping at his wardrobe, he opened the doors and knelt on one knee. Running a hand over the smooth bottom, he knocked twice on the wood and watched as the surface propped up, revealing a hidden compartment beneath. Prying the top off and setting it beside him, he reached and pulled a familiar pair of uniquely designed chakra blades. The same ones formerly owned by the chain-smoking Jonin that was taken from their world far too soon.

The weapons had last been in the care of Mirai Sarutobi when they fell into his possession. Somehow, the chakra blades survived the destruction caused by the Great Shift, the day everyone he knew and loved was taken from him in an instant. It took a year of searching through the debris of his old home before he came across them by chance. The blades were one of the few items he kept with him, while others he found were locked and stored away in a safe location known only to him.

_'Now that Thalia's asleep, let's deal with our guests.'_ He thought, and before heading over to the window. Quietly opening it so not to spook them, he jumped out and put his old shinobi skills to good use.

* * *

Outside

"Quiet, you fool! Are you trying to scare our meal away!?" Kellie screeched, her fork tongue darting in and out of her mouth as she glared at her underling and fellow Empousa.

"I'm trying, but you said not to fly! My hoof isn't meant for travelling across the top of a tiled roof!" Tammi hissed in reply, try and failing to keep her balance as the pair neared their target. The empousa, who were servants and creations of the Goddess Hecate, had been traversing through the West District of Manhatten when the most delicious smell wafted up their noise. The scent was like a divine hammer knocking their senses time after time and pulled them like a magnet attracting metal.

How long had it been since a demigod with such a delectable scent had crossed their paths? Fifty years? Sixty? They weren't sure, but they both agreed it had been far too long. Try as they might, the pair had tried to resist temptation. The scent, however, overwhelmed their senses quicker than either could think. A scent this strong could only belong to a child of the Elder Gods, specifically, one of the Big Three. Even monsters such as they had heard that a child of the Olympian King and Sky God had come into existence, though neither imagined they would cross paths with the child under the nose of Mount Olympus.

It was unwise to insult an elder Olympian like Zeus.

But the scent of his daughter. The girl was mouthwatering.

It was just too sweet to ignore.

The girl was unassuming, and being so young meant she had no idea of the power and potential she held. It would be easy picking, and the blonde adult they saw walking her home would pose little to no threat. It was an easy meal, and one too good to pass up. The only issue they would face was who got the larger share of their prize, and who got the scraps. Monsters didn't like to share over their kill, especially when it came to demigods.

Between the two of them, Kellie often ended up the victor between the pair of empousa and was confident Tammi would submit to her. She was the more vicious of their kind, and would show a level of brutality in her kills that left some wonder if she was the Nemean lion in disguise.

"I haven't had a demigod in months," Kellie muttered, her long forkish tongue flicking between her lips, "Not since the daughter of Hermes in New Jersey, though her scent wasn't half a delectable as this one." She approached the side of the building and went down onto all fours, her teeth making a loud chattering sound in anticipation. Her slitted eyes hungered for her prey.

Steadily she peered over the side of the house with the intention of climbing along the exterior walls and climb inside through one of the many windows. The air in Manhatten was warm, and with a little bit of luck, a window would be open. A small gust of wind blew across the rooftop. One of her hands came up and pushed the hair out of her face.

"Now, let's see if-"

_Swish_

Abruptly, Kellie's voice cut off.

"Kellie?" Tammi asked, making her way over to her fellow monster. Leaning in, a strangled gasp broke the eerie silence on the rooftop with the backdrop of the city coming to life. Peering over the ledge, the empousa turned her head and looked at her self-appointed leader. Her face was a mask of surprise, her slitted eyes wide and her mouth open wide, "What gives? What is it?"

She shook her shoulder and was forced to throw herself back while letting out a screech. The moment Kellie's body shook, Tammi watched in horror as the older monsters head rolled off her shoulders and descended to the pavement below. As the head flew through the air, gold dust took over the form of the head, until slowly, it was gone with the wind. Kellie's body fell onto the top of the roof, her arm hanging over the tiles of the roof until it too was reduced to nothing but gold dust.

Reduced to one, the remaining monster scrambled away from the side of the roof. Her eyes were darting from side to side, looking in every corner, though she didn't dare look over the side of the roof. Whatever had caught them unaware and killed Kellie, Tammi doubted it would leave with one of them dead and spare the other. What was it? She couldn't smell another demigod nearby, nor was there another monster in close proximity to them. To catch Kellie unaware, who begrudgingly she would admit was one of the stronger members of their kind, spoke volumes of their ability.

Standing back up, the hairs on the back of Tammi's neck stood on end. Something was watching her.

Something was behind her.

She swallowed thickly, gradually turning her head to look behind. A dark figure stood there. Their front was shrouded, but Tammi could make out the figure was male. Cold blue eyes stared at her with the promise of death. She idly noticed two shapes in his hands reminiscent of a pair of blades, though the shape was bizarre and unlike anything she recognised. A low whine left her throat. One that was beneath any monster like her to let slip. She wasn't stupid. She could sense the dangerous aura around the man.

Her breath hitched in her throat, and in a split second, her wings spread out to their full reach and jumped into the air.

She needed to fly away and never look back!

It all happened so quickly that Tammi wished she hadn't turned away. She got a foot off the ground when something sharp pierced through the centre of her back and exited through the middle of her chest. The breath couldn't leave her body as her form convulsed, and fell back to the ground with a low thud. Across from her, a blade with bluish energy flicking around the curved metal impacted the building across the road, spider web cracks from the force of the impact spreading across the stone and metal. Darkness quickly took over her vision and the last thing she could see was the cold blue eyes looking down at her as the figure appeared next to her in a flash of movement.

He swung down. Gold dust scattered with the wind, leaving no trace that either monster was on the roof.


	13. Part Xlll

**As always, thank you for the continued support of this story. It means the world to me. I can't believe we're nearly at 3000 reviews. It's mind-boggling!**

**The last couple of chapters have been heavy in dealing with Thalia's arrival. We're now returning to the Den for some more shenanigans. **

**I hope you all enjoy this new chapter. **

**Please Enjoy!**

* * *

**Naruto/Percy Jackson Crossover**

**Dining With Divinity**

**Part XIII**

"You look ready to keel over."

Blinking as he lowered her latte to the table, Naruto turned and faced the gazing grey eyes of Athena, ignoring the crumbs splotched across the side of her lips.

The Goddess of Wisdom arrived at the Fox's Den forty minutes ago, this time on her own. Though she invited Artemis, her younger sister was in the middle of a hunt somewhere out in California, and whatever she was hunting was giving her girls the runaround. The excitement in her sister's voice was enough for her to wish her hunt good luck before settling on leaving Olympus alone. She narrowly avoided a run-in with Aphrodite, hiding her presence from the Goddess of Love as she skipped her way over to Dionysus's temple. Though part of her wondered why Olympus's resident airhead was heading over to the temple of the family drunk, she chose to leave that question unanswered. She doubted it was anything of significance.

Once she arrived, she took up residence in the corner of the room away from prying eyes and made herself comfortable. Her schedule of late was meetings with her servants, her father, and other members of her family. The moment a free afternoon opened up, Athena had only one place in mind to spend her free time.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said you look ready to keel over. You look like you haven't slept a wink in days." Athena replied, taking the drink and pushing her empty plate to the side of the table. "Is everything alright?"

Straightening his back, he brought up his free hand and rubbed his eyes. Dark purple circles were beginning to form under his eyes like someone had snuck into Aphrodites enormous collection of cosmetics and smeared purple mascara all around the skin.

"I'm okay," He replied, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "I'm tired is all. Haven't been sleeping great, that's all."

Athena hummed. Trying to ignore the delicious aroma of her drink as it tickled her nose, the goddess didn't believe him.

"Tired? That's putting it mildly. You look exhausted." She leaned back in her chair and appeared amused when he attempted to cover his mouth when a yawn tried to escape. "When was the last time you took a break?"

A low hum escaped Naruto, "I haven't had the chance yet today. Maybe in an hour, I can have a sit-down. The schools will break up for the day soon, and that should give me the time to relax a bit." He wouldn't mind being off his feet for a little bit. Maybe he could have a clone take over in the front, while he put his feet up for twenty minutes in the backroom. It was risky since his clones always ran the risk of accidentally dispelling if someone or something knocked into them hard enough.

"I don't mean when was the last time you had a sit-down, Naruto." Beneath the table, the goddess tapped her foot against the hardwood flooring, "I should clarify. When was the last time you took a day off?"

A chuckle escaped his lips, "I don't have days off. Running the Den takes up most of my time."

"Then perhaps you should look into making some changes. Working the way you do can't be healthy. It doesn't help that you work alone. I don't think I have seen another soul working here since my first visit." As much as she loved coming to the Fox's Den, questions started hovering in the back of her mind, which so far, had gone unanswered. Like her sister, Athena had a good thing going at the Den, and like Artemis, was developing a soft spot for the blonde owner. He was vastly different from the other mortal men that she met, and so far hadn't made a pass at her like most already would have. He appeared more interested in getting to know her in a friendly manner, making small talk between her orders and listening with rapt attention when she spoke.

"I have my Sundays off."

A tsk sound came from the goddess, "No, you have half of Sunday off. The other half you're here working." She took another sip of her drink, trying to remain composed as the taste of cinnamon covered her tastebuds, "I know you value your work, but I think you should put some thought into closing the Den for one day a week. Sunday would work best since you're only open half a day anyway. Not to mention, you wouldn't be the only one who closes on a Sunday."

Sunday was known to be a day of rest, and not only because the faux god's religion told people it was so. Sunday had always been a day where mortals would lay down their worries and take a day to relax and put their feet up. For most people, Sunday was their favourite day of the week, while Monday was typically the worst since it began the working week anew.

The blonde sighed with one hand coming up to rub his neck. "It would be nice to have a day where I didn't have to think about coffee or pastries other them my own." In the four months since he opened up, he was focusing his time on the Fox's Den twenty-four-seven and left little time for himself. For someone of his unique circumstance, that was hard to do. Working at the Den gave him a purpose. Boredom and doing nothing was the enemy and staying occupied by any means, or manner was in his mind the solution.

Add a demigod like Thalia coming into a mix, and entering his life.

"You don't think the customers would mind?"

A snort escaped Athena and shook her head, "I think they would be more annoyed if you keeled over during service. Everyone needs rest. Even the best of us."

"That's true." He briefly glanced at the window, "I guess I could make up a sign and stick it in the window today. There is still enough time in the day to give people the heads up."

The goddess nodded when a thought crossed her mind, "You know, this would all be a lot easier on you if you hired someone to help you."

A frown appeared on his face, and she watched as Naruto casually waved the idea away, "Maybe. We'll see."

The idea of hiring someone to come in a couple of days a week and help him during some of the busier days had crossed his mind on more than one occasion. The big glaring issue that Naruto had with bringing someone from the outside into the Fox's Den was having to explain why there were multiple versions of himself working endlessly in the kitchen. His abilities played a role in the upkeep of the Den and bringing someone in would complicate matters.

"I never said you weren't, but having someone to help carry the load of running a business would help. I'm no businesswoman but having someone else around, even playing the role of waiter or waitress would help make things easier on you." Athena wasn't trying to discredit him. Far from it. Thus far, the mortal had done a superb job on running a business all on his own. She didn't want to see her favourite mortal wear himself down. "It would help a great deal. I'm just saying." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah, I get what you mean, and I appreciate the advice," Naruto replied, "I'll think about it. One step at a time."

Athena smiled, "One step at a time."

His eyes drifted away from Athena and down to the book in her hands. The book looked old if the leather-bound cover was anything to go by, but appeared in pristine condition. On the side, he noticed gold stitching and letting, and tilted his head to read the title, "The Old Man and the Sea."

Athena hummed, confirming his statement and taking another sip of her drink.

"That's an old one. How far are you?"

"About halfway, but then again, the story is only 127 pages." Athena's free hand came up and traced along the spine of the book, "I haven't read it in a couple of years, so I thought I would spend an afternoon reexperiencing it.

Though she had another copy within her ever-expanding library within her temple, the one she held in her hands was a gift from Ernest Hemmingway himself, who had been one of her demigod brainchildren born at the tail end of the 19th century. Intelligent beyond his year, he'd thrown himself into writing during his time in Paris in the 1920s, and the Goddess of Wisdom had watched with rapt attention as her son became influenced by the modernist writers and artists of the Lost Generation. Despite the many stories he produced, the Old Man and the Sea was a favourite of hers.

Naruto hummed, taking a scan of the room to check his customers were all satisfied before he quoted, "He always thought of the sea as 'la mar' which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her. Sometimes those who love her say bad things about her but they are always said as though she were a woman. Some of the younger fishermen, those who used buoys as floats for their lines and had motorboats, bought when the shark livers had brought much money, spoke of her as 'el mar' which is masculine."

The smile on Athena's face widened, "They spoke of her as a contestant or a place or even an enemy. But the old man always thought of her as feminine and as something that gave or withheld great favours, and if she did wild or wicked things it was because she could not help them. The moon affects her as it does a woman." When she finished speaking, the goddess couldn't help leaning forward, one arm resting against the top of the table, "You've read the Old Man and the Sea."

It came out as a statement rather than a question. Regardless, the blonde nodded.

"Some years ago. As you said, it's a good book." He laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just," He started, and couldn't help the grin morphing on his face, "When I was a kid, I would be throwing a tantrum at the idea of reading a book." Looking back on his youth, Naruto often forgot how much of a knucklehead he was. It was no wonder he got on the nerves of so many of his fellow shinobi, including those he called friends and family. "I was a bit of a hot head when I was younger, and the idea of reading a book would have sent me running for the hills."

"Really?" Athena tried to picture Naruto as a kid, and couldn't help inwardly smiling. She imagined a spiky blonde running for the hills while being chased by his teachers.

"Oh yeah, but I found the value you in it as I grew up." A fond smile and a faraway look washed over his face, "My godfather was an author, and it was his first book that ignited my enjoyment of books," He chuckled, "He...didn't have the best of luck with more traditional stories, but did find success in the more...risque section."

Athena raised an eyebrow.

"Risque section?"

Naruto wiggled his eyebrows and gave Athena a look. It took seconds for Athena to understand what he meant. The blonde felt a chill run up his spine, and a frosty look appeared. Her grey eyes turned steely.

"I see." Athena's thoughts about Naruto started to darken before he put up his free hand. She didn't want to summon her spear.

"Don't worry. I could barely make it through the first couple of pages. Those kinds of books aren't my taste." Despite Jiraiya's attempts, he never fell to the dark side.

"So you never got sucked into that vortex of debauchery?" Athena muttered and watched him nod his head, "Good. That type of...literature has no place in the world. It's little more than smut and pornography." Though it wasn't to her tastes, that kind of reading was up Aphrodite's alley. The occasions when she found the Love Goddess with her nose buried between the pages of a book, it was often one of those silly little love stories, and occasionally, straight-up pornography. The air-headed goddess that oversaw the carnal pleasures in life had been the one responsible for showing Apollo the joys of literature, despite her attempts at steering her godly brother away.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Naruto replied, "I keep a set of his books for sentimental value. They've never even left their protective wrapping."

Athena nodded, pleased by his words, "Good. See that you don't. I would be greatly disappointed if I ever catch you reading such content. I doubt I would be able to call you a friend if I had such information in my mind. My sister would be less than thrilled too." She could already imagine her sister if she ever discovered such a trait in their favourite mortal. "She would string you up in the trees and poke you full of holes."

"Oddly enough, I could see your sister doing that." Naruto tapped his chin, "She seems a little scary when crossed."

His words brought out a laugh from Athena, "Oh, you have no idea."

Whatever words the blonde was about to say died in his mouth when he heard one of his other customers call out his name. He must have lost track of time. He'd been standing there talking to the grey-eyed woman for a while.

"It appears you're needed elsewhere."

"Looks that way," Naruto replied. The blonde turned to go and serve the other customers before a thought crossed his mind. He turned his head back to Athena, asking, "Quick question. You called us friends. Would you consider us friends?"

Athena tilted her head. Her expression read she wasn't expecting the question, though it did make her begin to wonder that herself. As mortals go Naruto was one of the best she had met in a long time, and the Goddess of Wisdom had to admit, being in his presence was calming. Not to mention, his culinary talents worked wonders on her tastebuds.

"Are we friends?" She said aloud, thinking it over for a brief moment before nodding, "Yes. I think so. I've visited numerous times now, and we've gotten along since day one. Coming here is often the highlight of my day. Do you consider me a friend?"

"I do."

"Then, I suppose we're friends."

A bright smile lit up the blondes face, "In that case, can I ask you for a small favour?"

_'Oh? _

Now she was curious.

"A favour? Well, if it's within my power, then I can try, though it would depend on what it is."

"It's nothing strenuous if that's what you're thinking," He said back, "You see, I've got some new additions I'd like to put on the menu, but I'd like someone to taste them for me. If you're available, then-"

"I'd love to!"

She blurted out her response, before quickly throwing her hands to her mouth. She hadn't meant to reply with such excitement, but her mouth moved on its own before her mind could catch up. A rarity when it concerned a Goddess of her status. However, she wasn't going to miss the opportunity for what Naruto was offering.

How could she say no! She could only imagine what kind of delicacies he had in mind.

Gently coughing into her hand, she straightened her back and regained her dignified look, "What I meant to say is that I would be happy to help. Tell me a time, and I will see to it that I'm available." Deep down, Athena wanted the opportunity to laud it over the likes of Artemis, and Aphrodite. None of the other goddesses received an opportunity like this, and she wasn't about to turn it down. Though she was one of the more patient Olympians living on Olympus, she was looking forward to rubbing that in their faces.

"Great. If you're available, how about tonight? I'll close up around eight as normal. Head over around then."

"Perfect. I'll see you then." She tried not to sound so eager, but she couldn't deny how excited she was feeling.

* * *

Evening rolled around quickly, and the Goddess of Wisdom soon found herself back at the Fox's Den. The rest of her afternoon had been uneventful, though a brief run-in with Aphrodite led her to believe the Goddess of Love had discovered her evening plans. The sneaky Love Goddess had spies and snitches in every corner of the world like she was some type of lovey-dovey mob boss. Nymphs of every kind flocked to her side with a snap of her fingers, all trying to find favour with the beautiful Olympian. Nymphs enjoyed gossip and spreading rumours almost as much as the deities of Olympus did. Luckily, Dite's attention was elsewhere today, and Athena managed to slip away before the interrogation could begin.

The jingle from the bell rang as she entered the Fox's Den for the second time that day, and Naruto's voice reached out to her from the back room. He must have been in the kitchen preparing for her visit.

"Athena? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me." She replied, looking around the room. It was strange to see it void of other people. Ever since her first visit with Artemis, the place was always filled with mortals as Naruto's reputation became well-known in the West Village area and beyond. The scent of coffee and chocolate still lingered in the air, and a couple of used coffee mugs and plates still dotted around the tables. The last customer must have left mere moments before she appeared.

"Great, right on time. Take a seat anywhere you like, and I'll be out in a moment." She heard him reply, "Can I get you a drink?"

Athena thought about it for a moment, "I won't say no to a regular coffee."

She could picture him nodding in the back, "You got it. I'll be out shortly."

"Take your time. Also, could you make it a decaf?"

"You got it!"

The Goddess only waited a couple of minutes before the blonde revealed himself. He appeared the same as he did earlier in the day, though she noticed a fresh new apron wrapped around his waist. Bits of jam and flour-covered his wrists, though a towel was held in one hand. He got started on her drink, and it wasn't long before she had the mug sitting between her palms.

"Thanks again for doing this. I hope I'm not causing any inconvenience."

Athena shook her head, causing a few strands of hair to fall over her face. Naruto never noticed how her hair curled at the end since the woman tended to have her hair done up in a bun or a ponytail of some kind. Tonight, her hair was down and swept down one side. He wouldn't voice his thoughts, but he thought the look suited her. He wondered why she didn't do it more often, "It's not a problem. My evening was free, and I wasn't about to turn down the chance to try some of your new additions to the menu."

Naruto let out a chuckle, "Well, I can't argue with that." He pointed behind him, "So, I've got a couple of new desserts I'm thinking about adding to the menu. What I need is you to tell me if it's good or not. I want an unbiased opinion, and since day one, you've struck me as someone who will tell it straight."

Athena let out a chuckle of her own, "You would be correct. I never saw the need to beat around the bush, as it were."

"Well, that's perfect. That's what I'm looking for." Her grey eyes watched him closely as he fidgeted around on the spot, "Just one small thing I want to add." If she looked closely enough, she could have sworn dust of red washed over his cheeks, "I know you can be a little, how we say, vocal when eating food here, and you get embarrassed by it. I want you to know that it's okay if you want too.." He made hand motions in the air reminiscent of jazz hands, "I promise, this is a safe space."

Athena sputtered a quick response, but the surprise of his words momentarily made her mind stall. Taking a moment to compose herself, she gave him a subtle nod, "I will keep that in mind."

He gave a thumbs-up, "Okay. I'll go and get the first one."

Athena waited until he was out of sight before throwing up her hands and letting out a silent scream. She writhed around on the chair, silently stamping her feet on the floor, _'I'm never going to be rid of that damn incident, am I!' _One slip up, and it was going to haunt her forever. It was the incident with the flute all over again. At least, this time it was only Artemis who saw her, and she wasn't the type to spread such information around without just cause. She didn't have to be worried about other members of her family finding out, and she doubted Naruto would spread it around. She couldn't have been the only person who'd done such a thing.

She composed herself as the blonde return from the kitchen, a plate on the tips of his fingers. Unknowingly, Athena licked her lips. At first glance, the sweet treat in front of her looks like a cupcake given the size, but the texture looked more reminiscent of a biscuit. On the top of the pastry, a swirl of cream covered the top with a layer of something dusted over like a gold blanket. Three sat in front of her.

"This is a cupcake size honey cheesecake," Naruto explained, sounding pleased at her reaction, "You're probably wondering what the cream on the top is."

Athena nodded.

"It's cream mixed with cream cheese and honey. The base is made of biscuits, as is the sprinkles of crumbs dusted over the top. It's a bit different. I'm not even sure how I came up with it. The idea of it just struck me like a bolt of lightning."

Athena could do nothing but stare and nod, before finally asking, "How in the world do you come up with these recipes? It's beautiful to look at."

He gave a small bow and chuckled, "Well, thanks, but ideally, I'd like my customers to eat it, rather than stare at it."

The Goddess of Wisdom let out a low chuckle, "Fair point. Then I should fulfil my part of the deal." Gently, Athena picked up the small pastry between her fingers. In hand, she could feel how delicate the base was. It felt like it would crumble with the tiniest degree of extra pressure.

The last thing she wanted to watch it crumble away before her very eyes. Bringing it to her mouth, she took a small bite out of the side, getting enough of the cream to get a real sense of the flavour. She breathed through her nose audibly, and her eyes grew heavy all of a sudden as a burst of flavour took over her sense of taste. As expected, the second she bit down on the pastry, it crumbled away, coating her tongue with the base. Leaning forward, she rested her hand in her free palm, her toes wriggling against the inside of her shoes as she took delight in the dish.

"Well?" Naruto asked, waiting patiently.

Athena idly glanced at him, too caught up in the cupcake-size honey cheesecake, "Do you even need to ask?" Was her expression not enough? Thankfully, she managed to rein in any audible moans from slipping out, "It's amazing."

"The honey flavour isn't too overpowering?"

"Not at all. I'll admit, I don't have honey often, but this was just the right amount. It wasn't too sweet."

"And the cream?"

"Light and fluffy." She replied, "and the biscuit base crumbled as soon as my teeth put the tiniest bit of pressure on it. It was a delightful sensation."

"Good. That's good." He looked relieved, and scratched the back of his head, "I was a little worried about this one."

"There was no reason to be. You did a wonderful job as always." Quickly finishing it off, Athena wiped away the crumbs and splash of cream from her lips, "You get a gold star for plate number one."

He smiled, "Thanks. That's a relief to hear. I've been cooking and baking for a long time, but I still get the jitters when I'm trying something new."

Lacing her fingers together, Athena smiled. She did that a lot when she was visiting the Fox's Den. Something about the company of the man that ran it brought it out of her.

"I'll go get the next one." He replied, and disappeared back in the kitchen. He was only gone a few short moments, but while the Goddess was alone, she dropped her usual facade and punched the air in delight. Her feet repeatedly tapped the ground as she revelled in the aftertaste of the honey cheesecake. It was so good she couldn't contain herself and had to let it out, though when Naruto returned, she quickly regained her composure.

Like before, he gently lowered the plate to the table, pushing the first one off to the side. Athena nearly told him to leave it where it was, but her words fell silent as her eyes settled on the second dish. A drinking glass filled with her next sweet treat rested on the top.

"Unless my eyes are deceiving me, which they rarely do, can I assume I'm looking at a panna cotta?"

The blonde almost grinned at her guess, "You have a good eye." He watched Athena pick it up, looking over it with an analytical look on her face and resting her nose against the rim of the glass. She took one long whiff and felt a shiver of delight run across her skin, "A strawberry panna cotta, as you've figured out." A panna cotta was an Italian dessert made of sweetened cream thickened by gelatin. The name literally meant "cooked cream." It was a dish Naruto hadn't created much off in the past but decided to give it a shot by adding it to his menu.

"What are these on the sides?"

"Those are homemade salted almond snaps. You can have the panna cotta on its own, but I thought the almond snaps would compliment the strawberry flavour." He made a motion towards the spoon, "Maybe you could tell me?"

"Maybe I can," Athena fired back, and picked up the spoon.

Breaking off a piece of the almond snap, the goddess scooped up some of the panna cotta, and gently placed the snap-on top. Panna Cotta was not a dish she was overly familiar with, though the ones she had in the past were adequate. Perhaps this one would make the dessert a new favourite of hers. It wasn't a dish her aunt, or stepmother, had ever presented them on Olympus.

She learned in and chomped down on her spoon. This time, the reaction was a little more...vocal, and there was nothing she could do to contain it.

"Oh, gods," she whispered, one hand coming up to slide down her cheek. Her ankles crossed over the other beneath the table, and her tongue lapped up every little bit of dessert from the spoon. When it finally left her mouth, there didn't appear to be anything left. Not even a smear of cream. Naruto tried to speak but found his mouth clamped shut as Athena grabbed another spoonful and went for a second bite. She hated that she was making noises that sounded so lewd, but she couldn't help it. Naruto told her that he wouldn't tell anyone, so she put her trust in that.

And then a third.

By the fourth bite, she deliberately took her time.

"Well, I guess I don't need to ask, huh?"

Athena shook her head.

A minute passed, and Naruto found himself lifting the empty glass of panna cotta. The Goddess devoured the dish like there was no tomorrow. So much so, that the inside of the glass looked half clean already from how feverishly she'd eaten it. She made sure to scoop up every last piece she could get her hands on. There wasn't even a sliver of cream left at the bottom of the glass. He was beginning to wonder which was the gluttonous daughter of Zeus.

"If you don't put that on your menu, then it will be a crime of the highest order," She told him, dabbing her lips with a napkin. She would readily order that again, "The cream was perfect. I haven't had a panna cotta in a long time, but I can say this trumps any I've had in the past."

"From how quickly you polished that off, I'd be foolish to disagree," He laughed, "Thanks for saying so. That's another one going on the menu."

"At this rate, your menu will feel like it has no end."

"When inspiration hits, you have to go with it. You don't know when it might come back."

Athena nodded, "I agree."

Without a moments notice, her embarrassment swiftly returned as loud gurgle ran through her stomach. There was little she could do to stop it and felt it travel up her body so quickly there was no time to cover her mouth. Once the sensation ran along the back of her throat she knew there was nothing she could do to stop it. A loud and guttural burp escaped her mouth, resonating inside the silent room. It sounded disgusting, like something Ares or Apollo would do. It wasn't something anyone from her family would think she was capable of.

Even Naruto's looked surprised, his mouth a tiny o shape.

"I-I am so sorry you had to hear that."

She threw her hands up to cover her face, hoping it would help her disappear. Gods, why did it always happen to her? Was Tyche playing some kind of prank on her? Her luck surely wasn't that bad, was it?

She half expected him to turn away in disgust, but instead, he let out a loud bellyful laugh that nearly made her jump out of her seat. She sat there for half a minute, watching in silence as he tried to compose himself. Initially, when he tried to speak, he broke out into a fit of chuckles and resumed laughing, until finally, he managed to get himself under control. He wiped his eyes, a sheen of wetness coating the bottom from his hysterics.

"I-I'm sorry," He said, waving his hands in the air. His expression still showed he was trying not to crack up, "It was just so sudden, and out of nowhere. You caught me by surprise. Both of us, if your expression was anything to go by." Athena shook her head and tried to bury her face into her palms again. Instead, she found a gentle hand on her wrist and gently pried it away.

Her initial reaction was to blast the man who dared to place his hand on her. The Goddess of Wisdom wasn't as bad as her sister, but as Virgin Goddess, she was very particular about who touched her. She had a reputation to uphold after all. The only male she allowed to touch her was Zeus, as she had grown up with her father spoiling her and wrapping her up in those giant arms of his into a hug. Her Olympian brothers tried in the past to get handsy with her, though they all came to regret it. They only needed to be told once, or twice in Apollo's case, and they never tried anything again. The sight of her spear in hand would make all of them turn tail.

Her spear could appear in a matter of moments in a brilliant light. It was as easy as blinking when it came to summoning her signature weapon to her. She could skewer the one daring to touch her in a nanosecond. Luckily, she refrained. The soft smile and eyes belonging to her mortal friend were enough to push such thoughts away.

"Don't get upset," He said kindly, gently patting her wrist, "I'm sorry my laughing upset you. It wasn't my intention. It just came out. You surprised me, that's all."

Athena took a couple of deep breaths, "I-It's fine. It's silly, I know, but," Athena paused and ran her free hand through her hair, "I don't take embarrassment well." Ever since the incident with the flute all those millennia ago, the Goddess has kept a close eye on every little thing she did and said. After every speech and every action, she ensured she didn't hand over any ammunition to her immortal family. She couldn't handle the japes, and being the butt of the joke. To this day, the laughter of her aunts, uncles and siblings still rang through her head from time to time. The curse of being the Goddess of Wisdom was that she never forgot such things. It was all stored in her memory, like a file cabinet that went on forever, "I'm sorry."

Embarrassment for her brethren, like Apollo, or Hermes, was second nature to them. They used it to their gain and appeared to shrug it off and keep moving forward regardless. It was one of the few things she could say she was envious for lacking. She wished she could just walk away from such things.

The chair next to her made a sound, and she found Naruto taking up the seat, "Don't apologise. You don't have anything to be sorry for."

"I know, but-"

"Stop right there," He interrupted, cutting Athena off mid-sentence, "Getting embarrassed is nothing to beat yourself up over. It happens to everyone. Just the other day, I accidentally knocked into a customer, and part of their drink fell on their lap. Hot coffee right on their white shirt, stained across the front. The customer was annoyed, and I could feel the stares coming from everyone in the room."

She nodded, "I hate that feeling. Like people are judging you."

"Yeah, I can't deny it doesn't suck, but it doesn't last. You think you have to apologise over and over again to make it better when in reality, you should have stopped after the first time. It's in the past. It's history. You have to stay in the present, rather than looking back and thinking about that moment. It was one little incident. After that, the rest of the day went great. You have to stop clinging onto those moments."

"I wish it were that easy," Athena replied, sounding a little glum, with Naruto sighing at her reply. This goddess sure could be a Debbie downer at the smallest of things.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, "You don't always have to be perfect, you know. You're allowed to make mistakes."

Athena's eyes widened from his declaration. She stared at him in surprise. She hadn't expected that response. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it hadn't been that.

"What do you mean?" It came out little more than a whisper, but Naruto heard her and explained.

"We haven't known each other for a long time, but I've met people like you before. You're the type of person who's sets unbelievably high standards for themself. Anything less than achieving that you deem a failure, and embarrassment. Did you know embarrassment belongs to the disorder known as perfectionism? Think about it. You are embarrassed because you didn't live up to your standards, and when an event happens that put us on the spot and doesn't go our way, we panic and become flushed. There is a small (or wide) gap between your expectations of yourself and your performance."

Athena did know that, but she didn't voice it. She was too interested in what he had to say. He wasn't wrong about his statement on being perfect. After all, she was Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and favourite daughter of Zeus. When everyone else had a problem, they came to her for help.

Naruto could see she was listening, and continued, "Embarrassment is also another term for fear. We don't want to be perceived less than the image we desire. You need to have that wiggle room up here, and not let yourself be bogged down by that." He tapped his head, "You don't have to take it personally."

She knew that, but she couldn't help it. Her pride wouldn't let her.

"What if I can't help it."

He gave her a look, "You can help it, and you can start by not looking at yourself always standing on a pedestal. Things happen outside of our control. That doesn't make us any less then what we are."

"You make it sound easy."

"It can be if we let it." He replied, and outstretched his hand and patted Athena on the shoulder. Again, the goddess felt the urge to swat his hand away but restrained herself. It felt oddly comforting, "The next time you feel embarrassed, hold your head up high and laugh it away. Don't let it weigh you down. It's a single moment. People will forget and move on to the next thing that catches their attention."

Athena didn't say anything, but his words rang through her mind. She had the same talk from her Aunt Hestia on multiple occasions in the past. Even Artemis pulled her aside a few times. She took note of their kind words of encouragement over the millennia but hearing them coming from a mortal held a different weight to them. Here was this person, a being of lesser worth in comparison to an immortal goddess, telling her to stop taking herself so seriously. It was a sobering experience.

Yet she couldn't deny his words didn't hold weight to them. He was correct, as much as she loathes to admit it. It was hard not to put herself on the pedestal he spoke off. Everyone on Olympus came to her when they had a problem. When something outside her control put the image people had of her at risk, she panicked and fled, whether it was a tiny incident or a big one.

Feeling Naruto's kind eyes and smile lingering, Athena took a calming breath, trying to control the flush on her face and the thoughts running through her head. She knew he was only trying to help, for which she was grateful. He really was a unique mortal. "I-I will try, though I don't know how successful I'll be." She admitted, her hands wrapping around her half-empty coffee mug and feeling comfort from its warmth. She watched him raise his hand and noticed it sway in the air as if he was debating with himself before she felt his hand come down on her shoulder.

"If you ever feel that way again, just come back to the Den. My door is always open to you." His smile widened, and Athena tried not to look surprised when he sent a wink her way and quickly removed his hand, "Think of this place as a home away from home. Somewhere you can decompress. We can even talk about our favourite books if you like. Help take your mind off things." He shrugged but chuckled when he saw her grey eyes light up.

"I-I", She started but found herself at a loss for words as she tried to reason with him that he didn't need to go that far. Instead, she settled on just two, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He replied, "Ready to keep going? I've got some tasty dishes in the back with your name on them."

Athena nodded, "I'm ready. Please bring out the next one."

* * *

**Olympus**

As the evening came to an end, Athena reappeared within her temple of Olympus, a small and content smile gracing her face. Sitting comfortably in her hands was a white box with a blue ribbon tied around it, containing a gift from the mortal she spent the last hour helping. Choosing to spend the rest of her night in her library and tucking into a good book, Athena kicked off her shoes and replaced them with her favourite pair of grey slippers. Her civilian clothing changed as well, replaced by an oversized light blue hooded jumper and lounge pants. Despite her earlier feelings of annoyance with herself, there was a noticeable skip to her step. He'd thanked her for her help, and insisted she take something home with her.

Gods, she was turning soft. The goofy blonde should count himself lucky she had a soft spot for him. There was something about him that made Athena comfortable to be around. It was like a warmth she didn't know existed until now. It was similar to the way they all felt around the Goddess of the Hearth. It was peaceful. She didn't know how else to explain it.

Unknowingly, a shiver ran down her back and momentarily she stopped and looked at the spots on her body where his hands touched. She noted how warm his hands were, before shaking her head and continuing. She couldn't help but let out a small giggle.

"What has got you so amused, daughter?"

Turning the corner that led into her reading corner, she was surprised to find her father already occupying one of the armchairs and dressed in his usual business suit attire. In his hands, he held a copy of the Great Gatsby, with a pair of reading glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose. He stared up at her and wore a smile he reserved only for his beloved daughters.

"Father," She greeted, nodding her head and taking the armchair next to him while placing the box on the coffee table in front of them, "Is there something I can help you with tonight? I wasn't aware we had a meeting scheduled."

"Does a father need a reason to visit his daughter?" He replied, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes as Athena made herself comfortable, and tucked her feet onto the chair, "If truth be told, I'm hiding from your aunt."

"Which one? I have a couple of them."

"Hestia."

Athena rose a delicate eyebrow. A glimmer of light shone on the coffee table. A teapot appeared in the centre with two mugs, a small saucer of milk and pot of sugar along with it. Reaching over to the bookshelf behind her, the goddess lifted over a small jar hidden between Frankenstein and Gone With the Wind. Inside was her personal stash of teabags from England, kept hidden from the likes of Aphrodite or Demeter, so she could enjoy a cup of earl grey while reading her novels.

"Why would you be hiding from Hestia?" She asked as she prepared tea for the two of them.

Zeus released a sigh. He placed a marker in his book, and put it off to the side, "I don't know what has got into her. She came home three days ago, and since then, has been cooking none stop in her temple and delivering food to the other gods. She's been churning out new and delicious dinners and breakfasts quicker then anyone can blink. You know how we all get when Hestia starts cooking. She even made her famous steak and kidney pie just for me yesterday. She's been making everyone their favourites."

Athena did know. Her aunt's food was sought after by everyone, "So why are you hiding?"

"Because she's making too much!" Zeus patted his stomach and released a tired breath. He felt like his stomach was about to burst through his suit, "I haven't felt this stuffed in centuries. What makes it worse is Demeter and Hera eventually got involved, and now the three of them are cooking up a storm in Hestia's temple. They tried to make me their guinea pig, but I hightailed it out of there and led them to Apollo. Hopefully, he can keep the three of them busy for a little while."

"They always were a formidable trio when they teamed up," She replied and looked amused when she heard her father grumble. With a wave of her hand, the water in the teapot heated up, and she soon found herself gently filling each of the mugs. Handing one to Zeus, who took it with a quiet thank you, she added a splash of milk to her tea and watched as her father added a teaspoon of sugar to his.

With another wave of her hand, a plate and fork appeared. Leaning over, she took the box with the blue ribbon and gently peeled it open. Inside, a luscious-looking lemon baked cheesecake sat untouched. The lemon smell tickled her nose as soon as the lid was opened, making Athena's eyes twinkle.

"Is that a lemon baked cheesecake?" She heard and found her father leaning over next to her and looking down in the box.

"It is." If the look on her father's face was any indication, she wouldn't get to enjoy her cheesecake on her own as she hoped, "Why? Would you like a slice?"

The God of the Sky and King of Olympus licked his lips, "Maybe just a sliver?"

Sighing, she conjured up another plate and fork along with a knife. She had been hoping to enjoy the cheesecake by herself, but it seemed luck was not on her side again. Making the initial cut down the middle, she moved the tip a few inches to the left and pushed down. That seemed a sufficient amount for her father.

"A little bigger."

She stopped the knife and looked at her father from the corner of her eye. He was still leaning forward but was giving her an expectant look. A small hum of annoyance escaped her lips but quickly set it aside. She did as asked, and moved the knife along another inch. It was more then she was hoping to give him, but she would not be selfish after the delicious treats she enjoyed earlier. Like before, she pressed the knife down.

"A little bigger."

She stopped again, and this time a frown wove its way onto her face. Her father's expression hadn't changed, nor had he moved. He just sat there and watched like an eager dog waiting for his treat. Her eyes visibly darkened, and her hand with the knife visibly twitched but relented. Again, she moved the knife another inch and started to cut down.

"A little-"

He didn't get to finish as Athena's fist came crashing down on the coffee table, splitting it in two. Zeus almost jumped back in surprise. He didn't speak a word, watching as Athena held the plate up and made one long incision down the middle of the cheesecake. Zeus's plate flew into her hand, and she unceremoniously slapped the delight down on top.

"Here!" She shoved the plate in his hands, a cold and irritated look on her face before turning her back and walking away with her tea in one hand and her half of the cheesecake in the other, "Tidy up after your done!" She told him, before grumbling something under her breath and disappearing past the bookshelves.

Zeus just sat there in silence for a moment, wondering what had gotten into his beloved War Flower. He didn't appear to realise how much Athena had been looking forward to enjoying her cheesecake alone, and not sharing it with anyone. Naruto had given her the choice of what she could take home with her! It was hers!

_'Was it something I said?' _He wondered, unconsciously picking up his fork and bringing a bite of the cheesecake to his mouth. The first thing he tasted was the zest of the lemon flavour and the crumble of the pastry base as it fell apart in his mouth, and couldn't stop the guttural hum of delight from escaping his mouth_. __'Hmm, that's pretty damn good!'_

* * *

**Authors Note**

**I ended up going back and forth a lot with this chapter. Since we had a whole chapter with Artemis back in Part V, I thought it was time to have one with Athena. She's one of my favourite Olympian, and she's so much fun to write. In the canon books, we always see Athena as this calm, stern goddess, so it's fun to show her more vulnerable side. Out of all the Olympians, I always thought she was the one who didn't take embarrassment well, and I wanted to show that in this chapter. As someone who doesn't take handling embarrassment well too, I found myself connecting to the way I wrote Athena during that scene. I hope I did it justice.**

**I haven't decided on any pairing yet. I'm constantly flipping between choices, but I can tell you this won't be a harem story. **

**I can reveal to you all what the next chapters will hold. No heavy spoilers but the layout I have in mind will be Part XlV will have more shenanigans at the Fox's Den, and then Part XV will be the meeting between Naruto and Zeus over little Thalia. I'm going to try and get Part XIV done for December, and that will be the final chapter for this year. **

**Thanks for reading and please review. As always, your support for this story is incredible! Thank you all so much!**


End file.
